Nell of the Roses
by Ember Belli
Summary: Nell Cerise lives her life in servitude as the youngest member of the Red Queen's court. After many years of court life, and with no true memory of her life before court, she begins to tire of the queen's orders and ruthless tongue lashings. When news of Alice's return begins to spread about Underland, Nell finds herself entwined in royal affairs beyond her wildest dreams.
1. Nell of the Red Court

The royal courtyard had always been a place that was well known for uprooting ideas, both notorious and eminent. It was the go-to place of anyone within the endless kingdom of red who sought peace of mind. Those who had visited it often bragged of its lush green grass and vibrant crimson roses. It had always been famous for its countless number of rose bushes and fountains. It was often referred to as "the secret Eden of Underland."

If Underland could have an Eden, that was.

Sitting upon a bench of carved stone, at the very edge of the courtyard, beside the largest fountain in the vicinity, sat fourteen-year-old Nell Cerise. She spoke not a word, but took in the relaxing noise of the water running in the fountain. Small birds chirped in the distance. Nell, having not been this relaxed in a long while, closed her eyes and allowed the soothing environment to overtake her. A trance-like state was obtained immediately.

In truth, this quiet time she required essentially, for her everyday life was composed of endless gossip, ruthless beheadings and the strident rantings of none other than the Red Queen, of whom she served in her court. The monarch was impatient, irritable, and irascible. She was a remorseless tyrant with a head larger than any creature in Underland.

Underland was restrained under her reign, and Nell, was nothing more than a slave to the queen's every whim.

Life at court was draining, so she salvaged what little quiet time she managed to squeeze into her schedule.

Only to be interrupted.

"Nell!" shrieked a shrill voice across the courtyard. She recognized the voice as Dahlia, her mentor, and the queen's right-hand-woman.

Nell slowly peeled her eyes apart. No doubt the queen was summoning her. Many a time a day the queen called for Nell, and for mostly the most obscure reasons. Odd thing was that as soon as she went to the queen, she was ignored. The queen hardly asked her opinions, as she asked the other ladies of the court. Nell was often sent on errands for the queen, and if she were a tad late, on the queen's watch, she received a vile tongue lashing.

"Nell!" called Dahlia again. The call was followed by the click-clacking of heels on the cobblestone.

Sighing, the girl arose from the bench and headed across the courtyard to Dahlia, who halted and began to huff breaths.

"No need, Dahlia," assured Nell. "I understand she's summoning me."

"Yes, she is," Dahlia confirmed between breaths.

"What is it this time?" Nell asked. She crossed her arms and allowed her eyes to look upward, tracing the points on the towers of the castle.

"The Knave has returned with news," replied Dahlia.

The young red head rolled her eyes. "As if I really need to be present to see _Stayne_ ," she spoke Ilosovic Stayne's name with utter predictability. She had known the Knave for years, and she was having a difficult time grasping the concept that the queen summoned her to sit in for such a common thing as his return.

With a shake of her head, Nell strode from the courtyard, rounded the backside of the castle, and entered through the front gate. As she made way through the great hall, those who knew her gave her a quick greeting as she walked past, which she returned politely. She walked right up to the immense red double doors that led into the throne room.

Idly standing before the doors, Nell took notice of her friend, Mallymkun, the dormouse, scatter to her side. The mouse's regular day consisted of scurrying behind the queen as she paraded about the castle. Whichever room the queen decided to use, it was a guarantee that Mally was guarding the opposite side of the door. Each doorway was bedecked with a mouse hole that ran between the two spaces, allowing Mally to approach the queen if someone requested an audience with her.

Mally unsheathed the sewing needle she used as a sword, and placed the tip to the ground. She leaned on it as if it were a staff. She smiled up at her friend.

"The queen is much too enthralled about Stayne's return," the mouse informed her.

"Isn't she always?" Nell commented, winking at the mouse.

Mally giggled. "I suppose I shall have Anubis announce you." She bound from her needle and it fell to the floor. She darted through the mouse hole. It was only but a few moment before she popped back out and retrieved her needle. "Alright," she said, "he's going to announce you." She twitched her ear when she thought of how nasty the queen could be. "Good luck."

Nell shot her a small smile, as the doors opened before her face. Anubis, the four-foot tall man with the thin black mustache raised his trumpet and tooted the same tune that was required of him whenever someone gained an audience with the queen. Once the tune was complete, he lowered his instrument and twirled the end of his mustache between his thumb and forefinger. "I present Lady Nell, your majesty!" he called.

Nell gave a small bow of her head to Anubis, and approached the queen.

The monarch sat, perched stiffly on her throne, which was at least twice as tall as she herself was. The size of the throne was meant to off-set the size of the queen's head, which was beyond bulbous. Scepter grasped in her right hand, feet upon the belly of a snoring sow, the queen's bottom lip twitched slightly and her nose wrinkled. This was the queen's way of acknowledging her presence, always had been since day one of her servitude. The queen spoke not a word to her, nor motioned for her to sit. She knew the girl knew what to do, she had her trained.

Nell took her usual place at the queen's right side.

A few moments passed, and the figure of Ilosovic Stayne crept in from the hidden door at the very back of the throne room. He bore a sly expression and his one good eye seemed to gleam with pride. He went to the queen's side, she grinned hugely, and offered him her hand, which he placed a small sensual kiss upon her pale skin.

"Ilosovic Stayne, you knave," said the queen lowly. Her tone was nothing less than purely seductive. "Where have you been lurking?"

Stayne reached a gloved hand into his doublet and produced a scroll. "Majesty," he said oddly. "I have found the Oraculum." With one swift mood, he flung the end of the scroll across the queen's lap. It tumbled down her skirt, rolled to the center of the room and halted.

The queen tilted her head. "That?" she asked, tracing the black lines with a thin finger. "It looks extremely ordinary for an oracle."

Nell observed in silence. She knew of the Oraculum and what it stood for. It was the calendrial compendium that foretold of each and every day in Underland. Each day was given a title and a specific event that was to take place on that particular day was the inspiration for such a title. That particular day was _Griblig Day,_ according to the Oraculum.

"Feast your eyes upon this, majesty," Stayne beckoned her. He placed his finger on a certain spot on the Oraculum. "Frabjous Day."

The queen's posture stiffened. Conveyed before her was a detailed likeness of an armored girl who held an item high above her head. In the background, an image of the queen's most beloved champion, the Jabberwocky, its jaws spread widely.

The queen scrunched her nose. "I'd know that tangled mess of hair anywhere," she chided. "Is it Alice?"

"It is," retorted Stayne.

"What's she doing to my darling Jabberwocky?" she asked curiously.

Stayne leaned against the throne and examined his gloved hand. "She appears to be slaying it."

Nell felt her stomach knot. The Jabberwocky was the queen's champion, her beloved pet, her reason for breathing, even. She had befriended the creature many years previous, and it rewarded her by obeying any command she gave it. Factually, she owed the creature, for it was the very reason she had a crown atop her towering skull. Even the mention of harming the creature cause the queen to tip-off, let alone even the passing thought that someone dare attempt to slay it.

"She _killed_ my Jabber-baby-wocky?!" the queen asked hysterically.

"Not yet. Only if we do not stop her," Stayne suggested. "I am prepared to take any precaution necessary to protect the Jabberwocky from harm's way," he said smoothly, with hope of calming the queen's temper.

"You must find her!" hissed the queen. "Find Alice, Stayne! FIND HER!"

Stayne did not waste another moment; he slipped behind the throne through the hidden door, his cape flailing behind him.

Nell, not daring to say a word, laid her eyes on the queen, who sat stiffly. The monarch gripped her throne with so much force that her pale skin began to turn purple. Her anger seemed to eradicate even the smallest opportunity that could be used to speak to her.

Finally, after a few moments of stewing, the queen swallowed hard.

"Anubis!" she hissed. "Tea!"

Anubis flinched conspicuously. He bowed his head. "Yes, your majesty; Straight away, your majesty."

The queen rose to her feet and Nell mirrored her. As she made way toward the dining hall, she took car not to wander to close to the queen as she followed her. That had been one of the most stressed lessons that Dahlia had taught her, when she had first come to court. One was to never invade her majesty's personal space, especially when the monarch was steaming angry.


	2. The Towering Um

Any event, person, or situation that happened to tip-off the queen always found a way to implant itself into her brain. As large as her head was- and how large her brain was assumed to be- whenever something got under her skin, she had the most difficult of times distracting herself from whatever it was that had tipped her off. Her thoughts were like a swarm of bugs that crawled inside her brain and would not subside for anything. Although she showed no true emotion externally, internally her being was a tornado composed of assumptions, feelings and considerable resolutions. She could not remember being this bothered since the death of her king.

She tried everything she could think of to distract her mind. Be it regular stately duties or leisurely activities, nothing seemed to sooth the paranoia that constantly clawed at her.

What if Alice succeeded?

What if Mirana once again wore the crown? What would she do? Kill her?

 _Could_ Mirana kill her? Could she scrape up the pride to kill her own sister?

Questions of all sorts toyed with the monarch's mind, and the effect was that she was growing inevitably irritable. No one was safe from her temper.

The only sense of peace she found was in practicing her croquet strokes. It was the pleasure of knowing that the small porcupine she used as a ball, being whacked about by the head of the bird she used as a mallet, caused the small creature much distress. The torment of other living beings seemed to be the only relief the queen could find from her overactive mind.

You could safely say that Iracebeth of Crims, Red Queen of the kingdom of Underland, was a prisoner of her own daunting thoughts.

It had been four days since Stayne had rode out to search for Alice. Not a word of news had been sent back to Salazen Grum, and Iracebeth began to contemplate Stayne's safety. He had proven hardy on many pervious quests, but, for a reason she could not quite put her finger on, the idea of Alice plagued her with worry. How, she did not know. After all, Alice was just a little girl.

Late in the afternoon, with her court surrounded about, Iracebeth pressed her tongue to the roof of her mouth as she lined up her bird with her porcupine ball. When the desired alignment was obtained, she drew back, and let fly.

She sent the small animal hurling into a nearby bush.

It was answered by the applause of her court.

"Excellent shot!" praised the lord with the big belly.

"Wonderful!" said Dahlia, the woman with the abnormally large ears.

Iracebeth grinned proudly and scanned the faces of the court. Not a one person was unhappy about her stroke and she was reassured that they actually paid attention to her, unlike her thoughts often tried to convince her otherwise. Even the young girl, Nell, who she knew had quite the bitey attitude, was smiling in her direction.

Iracebeth began to scan for the ball, but to no avail.

"Where's the ball?" she asked aloud. "Page!"

The white rabbit who served as her page, McTwisp, she thought his name was, hopped forward with a: "Yes, your majesty."

McTwisp may have been nervous, the queen was often rude when she spoke to him, but, alas, he knew he had no other choice but to obey her.

Nell swept over to Dahlia, who was in conversation with the lady with the large ears. She caught on quickly that they were discussing how Stayne had taken Bayard, the bloodhound who had been imprisoned for the purpose of hunting. His wife, Bielle, and their litter of pups were being held captive in the dungeons, as leverage for Bayard to perform well. Nell did not agree with the family's imprisonment, and she found the ladies discussing it during the queen's croquet practice highly inappropriate.

Iracebeth, becoming impatient with the rabbit, stormed off in the direction the ball had flung.

Much to her surprise, she didn't find a ball, she found a towering girl standing nude among her rose bushes.

"And what is _this_?" Iracebeth asked aloud, allowing for anyone to answer her.

McTwisp returned from the bushes and shook a leaf from his ear. "It's a 'Who ,' your Majesty…..um…."

"Um?" Iracebeth asked.

The girl saw an opportunity to speak. "From Umbridge," she stated softly.

Iracebeth's eyes dropped to the girl's bare feet, and panned upward, passing over the rose bushes that concealed her nude body, and glared her right in the face. "What happened to your clothing?" she asked.

The girl reached a hand to her face and pushed an unruly yellow tendril from her eyes. "I've outgrown them," she began. "You see, I've been growing an awful lot lately. I tower over everyone in Umbridge. They laugh at me. So I've come here to present myself to you, hoping you'd understand what it was like."

Iracebeth's dainty heart-shaped lips formed a small smile. "My dear girl," she said, her eyes brightening from behind her small red shade spectacles, "anyone with a head _that_ large," she observed, "is most welcome in my court."

The girl smiled.

The queen turned to her court. "Find her some clothing, craft some of the curtains if you find necessary, but, I beg you, clothe this enormous girl!" she half ordered with pride.

Between the skills of Dahlia, Nell, and Lord Big Belly, the trio was able to create a gown, of sorts. None of them were professional dressmakers; that was apparent, but the job would do, the queen decided as Um stood before her in the garden, freshly gowned. Deciding that there was only so much she could do for a girl of Um's height, she beckoned the girl to follow her to the throne room to see to a prisoner.

Nell stuck to the back of the pack as they all shuffled into the throne room. Before she had a chance to enter the doors, she felt something peculiar about her feet. She halted and twisted her face. Some sort of animal was scurrying about her footsteps, and she practically screamed when she felt tiny feet latch onto the back of her, crawl up her back, over her shoulder, and down onto her arm. Not allowing herself to become unbuckled, she raised her hand to her eyes. Why, Mallymkun was sitting atop her hand.

"Mally," Nell said. "You startled me!"

The dormouse made a sorrowful face. "I'm sorry, Nell, but I had to get to you quickly!"

"What's the matter?" Nell asked, quickly striding away from the entrance to the throne room. There was small bench in the corner of the hall, with a massive portrait of the queen hung just above. She went to it and set the mouse on it.

"It's Hatter, she has him!" Mally cried loudly.

Nell gasped. The Hatter, Tarrant Hightopp had been one of her dearest friends during her six years at court. Mallymkun needed not to explain, Nell already knew. The queen, _her_ queen had him in custody. Thing was, she hadn't recalled hearing any news of his capture, such things the queen hardly ever shared with those of the court. Situations like that were spread due to gossip.

"On what charges?" Nell demanded of Mally.

"They think he's hiding Alice," Mally replied. She was careful not to speak too loudly. "I can assure you, he's not."

It was very much like the Red queen to enslave someone due to assumptions. Nell always had pointed out that at some point in time, the queen's assumptions would turn back on her. As far as he Hatter hiding Alice, she knew nothing of the sort, in fact, she hardly knew what Alice looked like. Alice had last been to Underland years before Nell's birth. If the Hatter knew Alice personally, Nell had no knowledge of it.

Nell had met Tarrant Hightopp precisely five days after she had been brought to court. He had been hired by the Red King to hat the lords and ladies of the court in honor of the queen's aging day. Each courtier was to have a unique hate made for them, with the proper heart shape, of course. Nell had been a small tyke of eight years, then, and surely must have looked odd standing among the much older courtiers. The Hatter had noticed her during his grand welcome to court the king had put on and he had approached her swiftly. She remembered the way he bent before her, complimented her plump, rosy cheeks, and had reached into his coat, and revealed a rose made of sewn hat ribbon. That single cloth rose meant the utter world to Nell, and she kept it safe in a lockbox in her chambers.

Just then, the strident sound of metal feet clanking on the stone floor traveled their way down the corridor. Nell gasped and pivoted on her heel, her red skirts whirling about her body. Down the hall marched half a dozen red knights, with none other than the Hatter restrained in the center. His head was down as he walked and he had six spears pointed in his direction.

It had been quite some time since Nell had seen him, and the sight made her cringe.

When the guards presented him before the door and halted, the orange-haired man raised his head and looked in their direction.

"Hatter!" Mally cried.

The Hatter smiled, revealing his familiar gap in his teeth. "Hello, Mally," he cooed. He turned his gaze to Nell, who had a single tear running down her cheek. "My, my, my, Miss Nell, it's good to see you again," he whispered.

"Eyes front, man!" hissed a red knight, who shoved him forward.

"Oi!" hissed Nell. She bound across the corridor uncontrollably and threw out a hand, reaching for the Hatter. She leaped, attempting to get a hold on him.

Much to her dismay, a red knight pushed her backward, and she fell to the floor.

"Know your place, girl!" warned the knight deeply.

Nell gritted her teeth slightly. "And _you_ know _your_ place! How dare you place your hands on the favorite of the queen!" She was sure that she was not the queen's favorite courtier, Dahlia was, but she doubted that the knight would know that.

Just then, a loud: "Bring him!" rang out. It was the queen.

Before anything else had the chance to transpire between Nell and the guards, one of them tapped the Hatter with the point of his spear, motioning him to ascend into the throne room.


	3. Where the Trust Lies

"How dare you, you vile little girl! How dare you attempt to interfere with _my_ prisoner!"

Nell sat stiffly in a chair in the dining hall. She was face-to-face with a scarlet-faced, angry queen, who leaned close into her face. She was so close that if Nell were to even purse her lips; they'd touch the end of her dainty nose.

Nell cowered a bit, but only enough to trick the queen into thinking that she was actually causing her discomfort. She really wasn't but she'd never show it.

After the Hatter had been presented to the queen, and she enlisted him to make hats for her, she had Nell fetched from her chambers. She had to admit that the girl always obeyed her commands, no matter what she was asking of her. It sickened her to hear that the young girl who was so obedient had tried to free a prisoner. At least, that's what the knights had reported to her.

Iracebeth grunted angrily as she bore into the girl's celadon eyes. "You presume to be my _favorite_?" she spoke the word with complete disgust in her voice. "You? Above all others? Ha!" She pulled back from the girl's face and stepped back.

Stayne was standing behind the queen, arms crossed, against the wall. He had always found the young Nell most charming. She was a spunky young woman who knew exactly who she was in life. As far as he had known, she accepted her place in the court, never questioned it, and never disapproved of it publicly.

"Majesty," cooed Stayne.

Iracebeth ignored the knave. "Even if I had a favorite, it would never be the likes of you," she hissed lowly.

"Majesty," repeated Stayne.

Nell raised an eyebrow and hardened her expression. "If not me, then whom? Um?"

"MAJESTY!" hissed Stayne angrily.

"WHAT IS IT, ILOSOVIC, YOU BLABBERING IDIOT?!"

Stayne slipped slyly from the wall and went to the queen's side. How he disapproved of her current behavior. Not once had he seen, nor heard of Nell causing any trouble. She was a lovely presence to have around when the queen was not involved. She owned a wit beyond her fourteen years, could cuss like a sailor, and had the most harmonious laugh. They regularly spent time with one another in the stables, where Nell would brush the horses that returned from progressions. Nell enjoyed animals and any precious time she got to spend around them. This was the Nell Stayne knew, not the vile creature the queen assumed her to be.

"You are being much too hard on the girl, if I may say so," he said stiffly.

Iracebeth paused, and turned her gaze to him. _How dare him!_ "As if you would know how to properly address to a misbehaved child, Ilosovic."

Stayne rolled his eye. "She is not a child, she is your courtier!"

"Yes, and an insolent one, at that!" She waved her hand aggressively. "Get from my sight, girl, I cannot bear to look at you!"

Nell bowed her head. She peeled herself from the chair slowly. She stood before the queen, and dropped smoothly into her deepest curtsy.

"GO!" Iracebeth shouted, not caring about curtsies.

Nelly swiftly jogged from the room.

She went immediately to her chamber and plopped down on her bed. She slid from her boots. _The queen is just irritable_ , she told herself. _She claims I am not her favorite. If not me, then why summon me so?_

Nell moved to her dresser, and pulled out a clean crimson nightshift. It was no secret that the queen was obsessed with black and red, and everything in Salazen Grum was either one of those colors or a mixture of the two. Red was her main, though, black was merely an accent. Hardly anything was black, it was all red, the china they ate on, the floors they walked on, the beds they slept in, even the undergarments they wore under their skirts, all of it a shade of crimson.

Slipping into the shift, she allowed her gown to fall to the floor. She scooped it up and tossed it into the red basket the maids picked up to launder. She then went to the mirror by her bed, and pulled every black hairpin from her bright ginger hair.

Besides the queen, Nell was the only redhead in all of Salazen Grum, most people had dark hair. She knew of other redheads outside of the kingdoms walls, such as the Hatter's family, but none inside the walls. She looked so different from the others in the court, as well. All the members of the court possessed a trait that made them unique from the rest of those in the kingdom. Such as Dahlia, who had abnormally large ears, and Madame Snout, whose nose was as long as a finger. Even the lords were odd, one had many chins, one was overweight just in the middle, rather than his whole body. Each and every one of them was odder than the last.

All except Nell.

Nell appeared to be rather plain, and no matter how hard she tried, she could not find anything peculiar about herself. Stayne often had said that the queen kept her close because she found comfort in her plainness. The others served the purpose of making the queen feel better about herself, after all, her head was large, that was it, she appeared as any other woman besides.

Considering the fact that it was late in the evening, and the queen would soon retire, Nell figured that she had time to visit a dear friend.

She waited in her chamber a bit longer. As the castle quieted down and the sky became plastered with streaks of salmon, she knew that there would be no better time.

Completely shoeless, in her oversized crimson nightshift, she tiptoed from her chamber and hugged the wall as she walked down the corridors. She made it apparent to duck low whenever she was to cross a courtier's path, she was in enough of a spic with the queen already, and no good could become of being caught. She noticed Madame Snout and Lord Big Belly chattering away as they strode past down an intersecting corridor, and Nell took place squatting behind a bench. Once they were passed, she grabbed the end of her shift in her fists, and, bare feet touching the cool tiled floor, she took off down the left grand staircase- there were two, they formed a giant stair heart- and she whipped past the great hall and throne room.

She crossed the now empty, and dark, dining hall and made her way into the kitchen. There were no cooks nor maids present, and the kitchen was silent. She thoroughly searched each and every cupboard as quickly as she could. There was a menagerie of odd foods, most of which was only served to the queen on the days she took her dinner in her chambers. Tadpoles, pigs feet, birds necks, caviar, even dried fish scales, all of which made Nell cringe. Then, finally, at the very back of the cool cupboard, was a hunk of juicy Outlandish boar meat. Nell smiled to herself. She knew her friends would enjoy it, so she reached in for it.

As her fingers touched the rim of the plate it sat on, she heard the doors to the dining hall open. Gasping, she grabbed the bloody meat in her bare hand and bound for the back door of the kitchen, which led to the backmost corridor of the castle. It was there that a secret staircase descended to the dungeons.

She made no time hustling down the dank cobblestone spiral staircase, and much to her surprise, there only one guard on duty. Before she approached, an idea popped in her head. She dropped the meat down in a nearby decorative vase, and she began to fakley huff breaths. She ran to the guard.

"AHHHHHH!" she screamed in a loud girlish tone, startling the lethargic card knight of red hearts.

"What is it?" the guard asked. She did not recognize his voice. A newbie.

Nell huffed as if she had just run a mile. "The queen! The queen is in danger!"

The guard's eyes squinted, then widened.

"I saw him!" Nell cried.

"Who?"

"The champion of the White Queen," she lied. "I saw him. In the courtyard! He held a white-hilted dagger in his hand. He's come to murder the queen!" It was a lie, but it seemed a good one.

The guard, unknowing that the true Champion of the White Queen was foretold to be Alice, began to panic. He gripped his spear nervously. "Oh my, whatever shall I do!?"

"Go!" Nell hissed worriedly. "Protect the queen!"

Practically stammering over his own metal feet, the guard then began to run up the staircase nervously, clanking loudly as he did. Nell laughed to herself as she went back and retrieved the boar meat. She then made her way to the backmost cell of the dungeon, the only one being used at that moment in time. A single torch lit the large cell, and she could see six small figures lining the back wall.

She knelt before the cell, and stuck the meat through the bars.

A deep snarl answered her.

"It's alright, I've brought this for you to share."

Without warning a slender snout jabbed through the bars, and a slimy tongue passed over her face. Nell giggled. "Hello, Bielle, my darling," she cooed, stroking the bloodhound's soft head.

"Lady Nell," said Bielle with much relief. "I was so worried you were one of the guards. They come in here and kick my pups," she said sadly.

Nell felt a ping of anger in her core. Bielle turned her head and began to whine in the darkness. It wasn't but a few moments before five beautiful bloodhound pups came galumphing over with wagging tails and soft kisses. Through the bars, Nell managed to coddle each of them to the best of her ability. Bielle sat down. She held the hunk of meat in her mouth, and when the pups were finished greeting the young maiden, they dove right into it. The hunk turned out to be the perfect size for all six of them to share.

"Thank you for this kindness," Bielle said. "You have my everlasting gratitude."

Nell sighed. "Anything for the innocents. It's tragic, really, that the queen finds it necessary to keep you held up here."

Nell sat up for a long while, telling Bielle of the news of Alice, and how Um had come to court. She told her of the Hatter's capture and how the queen treated her poorly. Bielle had a very distinct motherly presence and Nell found it most comforting. She had lacked any true motherly presence in her life, for as long as she could remember, and it felt nice knowing Bielle was willing to listen. She became so entwined in conversing with the hound that the world around her seemed to take on a sudden blur. Before she had a chance to move from her spot on the floor, she was fast asleep, snoring lightly. Bielle and the pups, too, had fallen asleep.

Hours seemed to pass and nothing disturbed her sleep. It wasn't until she pulled herself consciously from her slumber enough to notice that her body was swaying in an odd motion.

Peeling her eyes apart, she was welcomed by the smell of leather. Something soft was against her cheek and her long, ginger hair swung about her shoulders.

Why, Ilosovic Stayne was carrying her through the castle.

"Stayne?" she asked, looking up at him from his arms. She brushed hair from her face.

"You were asleep among the prisoners," he said softly. "The guards informed me of a specific girl claiming that there was someone about the garden, seeking to harm her majesty." He chuckled lowly. "I figured it only to be you."

Stayne carried her to her chamber and set her upon her bed.

"The queen-," Nell began as she held a hand to her aching head.

"The queen does not know," he informed her. "I made sure of it. After her little dispute in the dining hall earlier, I figured it best to crush the whole situation before she went and lost her temper. We can't have that. Not when Alice is wandering about the kingdom somewhere. The queen needs to keep focused on preparing the jabberwocky."

Nell was so tired that Stayne's talking sounded like utter rambling. Her head pules and her eyes watered. Stayne took notice of the girl's half-attention and nodded to himself. He wondered if his queen would ever see what he saw in the girl.

"I suppose you shall retire," Stayne soothed. He went for the door and halted. He looked over his shoulder at her. "Perhaps tomorrow you'd do me the courtesy of joining me on an afternoon progression?"

Nell nodded. "I would do you the courtesy."

He nodded. "Excellent."


	4. Astride A Black Mare

Deep into the morning, Nell peeled herself from her bed. She was still rather tired from sleeping upon the uncomfortable dungeon floor. Her headache was gone, but her back ached now, and her eyes felt heavy. She tossed her legs over the side of the bed and looked out the doors that led to her balcony. The light red curtains were parted enough for her to look out and see a sliver of the courtyard. The sun was shining brightly upon the huge hedge head designed to resemble the queen. She guessed it to almost be time for midday meal, and she sighed.

Ilosovic Stayne was waiting to ride with her.

She chose a light fabric gown of bright red, accompanied by a black riding coat and boots. She dressed quickly, ran a brush through her wavy hair, and inspected her reflection in her mirror. She looked no different than on any other day. Same old ginger tendrils, same old pale skin, same old celadon eyes, same old Nell. She pinned her hair up in a jiffy, grabbed her small red, heart-shaped sun shades from atop her dresser, and bolted from her chamber.

She swung into the kitchen, convinced the cook to give her a red velvet muffin, which she mowed hungrily. Thanking the cook for his kindness, she moved into the great hall and approached the staircase. She placed her sun shades on the bridge of her nose as she walked.

For someone who had such a difficult time sleeping the previous night, Nell had to admit that she felt content. Whether it was because she didn't have to spend the day following the queen all day, or the fact that soon she'd be off exploring lands she didn't know of with Stayne, she did not know.

As she knew was that she happened to come across the queen.

She stood proudly in the entrance to the throne room, the other courtiers gathered behind her. Um stood at the back of the pack. The queen's eyes widened when she took notice of the maiden walking toward the front gate of the castle. She cleared her throat loudly when Nell drew closer, hoping to catch her attention.

Not expecting to see the queen at all, Nell gasped to herself and dropped into a low curtsey. She was determined to prove to the queen that she still held great respect for her, although she completely disagreed with her holding her friends captive. She would show the monarch just how strong she was internally.

"Your majesty," Nell said smoothly.

Iracebeth grunted when Nell curtsied, and motioned the other courtiers to flank her. The queen then moved, a bit of authority in her step as her boots _click clacked_ across the tiled floor of the great hall. She purposely walked as close to Nell as she could manage without running into the girl. They were so close that all Nell need do was hold out her hand and she would have tripped the queen. She remained in her curtsy as they marched down the corridor.

"Hat man, where are my hats?" the queen barked as Nell stood. "I am not a patient monarch!"

Nell half-smiled at the sight of the queen stomping her way down the long corridor. She then pivoted on her heel and headed for the stables.

In the stables, she found Stayne lifting a saddle onto a small black mare, which had a red heart painted just below her forelock. She seemed a quiet little horse, as she didn't even flinch when Stayne set the saddle upon the crimson saddle pad and began to tighten her girth. Nell leaned against the stall door to observe as the knave continued on and slid a bridle onto the horse's face, slipping a bright red bit into her mouth. The mare accepted the bit with ease and began to chomp on it.

Stayne smiled when he took notice of her in the doorway. "Well?" he asked her, gesturing to the mare. "How do you find her?"

Nell grinned and went to the horse. "She's beautiful." She began to stroke the horse's muzzle.

"She needs to belong to someone," Stayne pointed out. "She doesn't get used much. I think you two will get along famously."

He handed her the reins, and she led the mare from the stall and out into the open. A red knight brought Stayne's warshire to him. Nell placed a boot in the stirrup and hoisted herself upward, throwing her right leg over the saddle. Stayne was much too pleased to see that the girl didn't require a hand when mounting.

Nell wriggled in the saddle until she was comfortable and she tightened her reins. The mare held her head down and relaxed her muscles beneath the light weight of the young girl.

Once Stayne mounted his warshire, pointed him east, and gently nudged him forward. Nell did the same and the two horses were walking abreast and did not miss a single step, they were in perfect rhythm. It had been a while since Nell had ridden, and she felt content to be sitting astride such a pretty little mare.

The pair rode from the stables, around the tower, through the alley, and exited out by the drawbridge.

A red guard was posted at the bridge and Stayne halted to speak with him.

"Orders, Captain?" the guard asked the Knave.

"No one enters except myself and Lady Nell," Stayne ordered.

The guard banged his spear on the cobblestone. "Understood."

Before resuming advancing, Stayne scanned the exterior of the castle. He took in every curve, every tower, every window and every balcony. Nothing appeared to be out of order, he didn't know if he could say that for what was going on inside the castle, but he wished to forget about it all for the afternoon.

Their journey took them through the dry Salazen Desert, which came to the Tugley Wood, where the path split to either Queast or Snud. If one was to turn to Snud, they'd find themselves in the deepest parts of the Tugley Wood, which led on to Marmoreal. If one were to travel east to Queast, they'd hit Trotters Bottom, where the Hatter lived, and would eventually find themselves at the castle in Witzend, where both the Red and the White queen had resided as young princesses. Stayne, knowing all too well how dangerous the thickest parts of the Tugley Wood could be, turned his warshire east toward Queast and beckoned Nell to follow him.

Nell had never once been this far from Salazen Grum. She had always stuck around the castle, and when she did get to leave, she never went very far. She could not recall ever being past the Red Desert. In truth, she had no true memory of her life before court. The farthest back she could bring herself to remember was the very night she had awaken outside of the castle, clothed in nothing but a rag of a dress, with dirt-stained cheeks and matted hair. She had been just eight years old, and utterly confused when an all-too-kind Dahlia had discovered her during a walk in the moonlit garden. Dahlia had taken pity upon the small girl, and had cleaned her up and presented her before the queen. At first the queen had shown no real interest, and contemplated shipping her off to her sister in Marmoreal. It wasn't until Dahlia had convinced her that taking the child under her wing and giving her a home at court could possibly brighten her reputation with the people of the kingdom. After all, the king had only been dead a few days and the queen had to admit that her reputation required a pick-me-up. Nell had grown up as a living doll to Dahlia, eye candy for the people of the kingdom, and a royal pain to the queen.

Riding through Trotters Bottom excited Nell beyond belief. All of the unique plants and animals they came across in the back country were rather interesting. Stayne would name them all as they passed them.

He led her onto a dirt path that wound through fields that were loaded with croaking frogs and jabbering borgrove birds.

"Stayne?" Nell asked as they plodded side-by-side.

"Yes?" he answered smoothly.

Nell sighed and glanced down past her stirrup, and looked at the moving dirt path below her mare's hooves. "Does the queen hate me?"

Stayne laughed. "Hate you?" He shook his head. "No, I don't think she hates you." He looked out across the rolling fields of long grass and thought carefully about how to voice his opinion. "I think you confuse her," he said finally.

Nell was surprised by that little comment. "I _confuse_ her?"

"Indeed."

"What do you mean by that?"

"You are unlike any other lady in the court," Stayne explained. "You have no apparent fault in your appearance. Like I've told you before, the queen finds some exotic comfort in your….plainness."

They rounded a corner in the path and rode over a small hill. In a small valley on the other side, lay a large windmill with a long tea table set before it. Nell began to feel strange as they rode close to it.

"Where are we?" she asked the Knave.

"This is where the Hatter lives," he replied haughtily. "Although not for long."

Her stomach began to twist when he spoke. She had the sudden feeling that she had been to this place before. She had heard news of the queen considering keeping the Hatter at work full-time at the castle. It was rumored that she was to begin selling the hats he created for some extra currency for her vault.

She rode her mare right up to the tea table. She hated and allowed her eyes to pass over the menagerie of abandoned china, scones, sewing boxes and other little trinkets. She looked over to see that Stayne had stopped behind her a few feet, and he had pulled out a map of Underland and was studying it. She turned her caledon eyes to the table, and traced it to a rather immense chair that sat at the end of the table. There, beside a tea cup, sat a silver pocket watch. From the saddle, she could see the initials : . _T.H._ etched into the front. It could only mean Tarrant Hightopp. She inched her mare to the table, and she bent down and plucked it.

It had to belong to the Hatter, for a there was a hat design inside of it. She smiled slightly and tucked it down in her kirtle before Stayne had a chance to see her. She turned her mare to face him. He just sat idly, eye focused on the map. She rode over to him and poked his kneecap with her finger.

"What exactly are we doing out here?" she asked the Knave.

"Looking for clues of Alice," he replied. "After all, there is evidence that the Hatter had been hiding her."

Nell shook her head. The measurements the queen would have Stayne take just to catch a person who could have possibly just a rumor. After all, no one in Salazen Grum had even seen Alice since she returned, and it all very well could have been a rumor to stir the queen up. She wasn't sure who, but there were those at court who enjoyed tipping the queen off with rumors.

"Do you think we should head back?" she called to him. "The queen will be wondering where you are!"

Stayne grinned. "Why, you're absolutely right, my dear!" He tucked the map safely in his doublet and turned his warshire toward home. He laid his heels to the beast and it reared, bounding forward and breaking into a hard gallop.

"That's it, then!" Nell exclaimed happily, laying her heels to her mare.

They galloped abreast the entirety of the way back to the Red Desert. Their horses tired, they slowed back to a subtle walk and rode in silence. Soon they were encased in the sand and the desert roses. The sun began to descend the horizon and the sky was plastered with ruby and salmon streaks. They stopped to admire the view of the castle in front of such a colorful sky.

"It truly is a grand place we live, is it not?" Nell asked Stayne, taking in the gallantry of the castle.

"It is. And we owe it all to our queen," Stayne replied with pride.

Nell reached inside her kirtle and revealed a small glass potion bottle with a black cork. She pulled the cork from the glass and raised the bottle. Stayne grinned at her.

"To our most wonderful majesty, Iracebeth of Crims, Red Queen of Underland," Nell announced sarcastically. "May we never tip you off and lose our heads." And with that, she downed the contents of the bottle. When finished, she slipped the cork back into the bottle and placed it back in her kirtle. Stayne was giving her a questionable look.

"Jollyjuice potion," Nell informed him.

Stayne chuckled. "How does one come across Jollyjuice potion in Salazen Grum?"

"That," she began, picking up her reins, "my dear Stayne," she straightened in the saddle, then urged her mare forward, "is for me to know, and for you to never find out."

Stayne chuckled again. How witty Lady Nell was! She definitely was his most enjoyable progression partner. He actually felt a small ping of regret that he hadn't taken her out with him a quite some time. Together the two rode until the approached the drawbridge. The ride had taken a mere four hours, and it was almost sunset. The same guard was perched at the bridge and he greeted Stayne as they rode past, and informed him that there had been no suspicious activity since they had been gone.

The only thing suspicious was the fact that, as they crossed the front of the castle, Stayne happened to look skyward.

Why, the queen was standing on her balcony, overlooking them. He witnessed as she glanced at Nell, to him, to Nell, and back to him again. She didn't appear happy to see him at all, especially considering that he was with Nell. He made eye contact with her for a moment, and she scoffed, smacked an impatient heel to the stone balcony, then whirled and disappeared into her chamber.


	5. A Whiff of Trouble

Stayne and Nell had just stepped foot into the castle, when Lord Burgle, the man with the many chins, skulked up to them. Nell had been in the middle of laughing hysterically at a joke Stayne had told her and when the Lord approached, she had to catch her breath.

"The queen asks you both to dinner," Lord Burgle announced. "In precisely five minutes," he added before he walked off.

Nell and Stayne looked at one another. The meeting of their eyes seemed to stir, for both bean to laugh hysterically as they made way to the dining hall.

Little did they know that around the nearest corner, was Iracebeth. Since seeing them ride in together, her interest had been drawn to wonder what they could have possibly been doing together. She didn't recall ever seeing them together in private, only on short occasions. Earlier that morning she had ordered Stayne to Trotters Bottom in search of any leads that her assumptions of the hat man hiding Alice were true. Not once had it occurred to her that he would invite company, especially Lady Nell. As a man, he could do whatever he pleased, but as the queen's beloved Knave, he should have known better than to invite a woman on an outing without her permission.

As the pair galumphed down the corridor together, Iracebeth felt her cheeks grow hot. Stayne had never been that way with her when they were together. In fact, he hardly ever laughed in her presence, and treated her as if she were a higher being that required no affection, nor love. When he lay with her, he did it with a sense of duty to his queen, not because he actually felt for her, as much as she would have liked him to. Iracebeth was no fool, she knew it in her bones that Stayne didn't love her as she him, but pretending to love her was hurting her deeper than she had anticipated before she had ever invited Ilosovic Stayne into her bed.

It disgusted her to see the man who single handedly took her heart frolicking with another woman.

Gathering her wits, and convincing herself that she would not allow herself to unbuckle just before dinner, Iracebeth took a deep breath. There were other manners to see to besides Stayne and Lady Nell, more important matters, matters of the state.

Head raised, nose in the air, Iracebeth walked proudly to the dining hall, where all of the court was already seated. She sat at her usual place at the head of the table. To her left was Stayne, who nonchalantly sipped from a goblet of ale. To her right, Um, who was in conversation with Dahlia, who sat beside her. Since Um had taken her place at the table, Nell was seated between Lord Burgle and Lady Snout, directly across from the queen.

Silence settled over the court as they ate. The only present noise was that of forks scraping plates, sips being dragged off of goblets, the occasional crackle of boar bones, and the slurping of freshly caught tadpoles.

Nell noticed that as she took her food, Um's blue eyes glanced at her. Between every bite, or every drink the towering girl took, her eyes always found their way to Nell. A while into dinner, Nell began to grow tired of having to divert her attention to avoid Um's gaze.

Food gone, and dessert half-way out of existence, the court members began to converse and giggle amongst themselves. The queen talked to Stayne and Dahlia, Lord Burgle with Lady Snout, and Nell and Um remained silent. The chattering grew so loud at one point that Nell couldn't stand it any longer, and she began to internally beg the queen to dismiss them from the room.

Nell's eyes met Um once more. Um then smirked then mouthed the words: "I need to speak with you," in her direction. She then pointed to the doors.

Before Nell had a chance to stir up a reason to ask the queen to be excused, Iracebeth grew tired and dismissed them. Nell was the first from her seat, and she bolted for the corridor, to find Um standing outside of the throne room, Mallymkun in her hands.

"There she is!" Mally called when she saw Nell.

Nell jogged over to them. Um smiled hugely at her. "My apologies, Miss Um, but I'm afraid that we've not the opportunity to formally meet," she said, offering the newest her hand.

Um took her hand with a strong grip and gave it a very serious shake. "You're Nell," Um beamed. "Dahlia has told me so much about you."

Not surprised at all, Nell returned the smile. She finished shaking Um's hand then gently stroked Mally on the head with her forefinger. The dormouse greeted her happily. "Tell me, Lady Um, how do you find the queen?"

Um's smile disappeared and it was replaced with pursed lips. "She's well…," Um twisted her face, "…..interesting."

Nell giggled. "Believe me, I've seen her when she's _a lot_ worse," she explained. In actual factuality, she wasn't quite sure if the queen had ever been so moody since she had been at court, but Um's presence at court kept the queen off her back, and she didn't want to scare Um.

Mally chuckled. "Well, isn't _that_ the truth!"

"Have you been at court long?" Um asked her.

"Six years."

Um shook her head in disdain, "I don't know how you've survived this long. The queen seems like she can be hard to please at times."

Nell rolled her eyes. "You have not an idea."

The girls paused as they caught wind of the queen and Stayne slipping from the dining hall together. The queen was out front and she marched across the great hall and mounted the staircase. Stayne stuck close in her footsteps, but he took notice of the two girls, and raised a gloved hand in a friendly manner.

Um and Nell both waved quickly before the queen caught a glimpse.

"They're lovers," Nell whispered to Um. She paid close attention as Stayne flanked the queen up the stairs. "Stayne's no better than a dog to her," she explained.

Um didn't know what to think of the Red Queen and her court. Everyone who lived at Salazen Grum was rather odd, and she was not used to it.

Nell sighed at looked at the large heart clock that hung on the wall. "Well, I've had a long strenuous day," she said. "I'm sorry, dear Um, but I must retire. Perhaps we can see to more conversing in the morning?"

"Of course. But before you go, I have a question."

"Yes?"

"Would you mind telling me where to find the hatter? He's a dear friend of mine and I'd like to see him."

Nell, thinking nothing of it, gave her directions to the dungeon. Um then took off, Mally on her shoulder. Too tired to think of what consequences could come of allowing a newcomer to the dungeons, Nell went straight to her chamber for bed.

The next afternoon, Nell was traipsing around the garden, a book of Underland's history in her hands. She read as she walked slowly, not taking her eyes from the book. She had slept well the night previous, and she felt refreshed. She had taken breakfast with Um in the dining hall, only for the partaking to be cut short when she was summoned to the queen's side to see to more prisoners. During the meal, however, she happened to explain to Nell that she had sat in with the hatter for most of the night and they had discussed the queen and her search for Alice.

Nell was at a loss when she attempted to scheme a way to set the Hatter free without the queen finding out, but such was not possible. She had noticed that since her and Stayne had returned from their ride, red knights could be found almost anywhere around her. No doubt the queen was having her spied on. She ignored it. She had done nothing wrong in riding with Stayne, and she knew the queen was just jealous.

Finding much peace in the silence of the garden, and the valuable information the book withheld, Nell could not remember when she had felt this relaxed. She reclined on the stone bench beneath the hedges and let out a sigh of relief.

Something in the aspect of the Universe must have decided that Nell did not require any time to herself, for as she lay upon the stone bench, she was startled by a loud voice.

"NELLLLLLLLL!" the scream was shrill and it seemed to boom throughout the entire kingdom.

Nell flinched and the book fell from her grasp and hit the lush green grass.

The voice was Dahlia, and she sounded angry.

Nell hastily collected her skirts and began to run for the door. Dahlia stood in the castle entrance, tapping her foot impatiently.

"Why is it than when the queen summons you, I cannot FIND you?" Dahlia hissed.

Nell swallowed. The queen had summoned her once more? A tingling sensation ran up her back. "My apologies Dahlia, but I figured-."

Dahlia sighed heavily and placed a hand to her forehead. The past few days had taken a toll on her patience, her endurance, and most importantly, her energy levels. Years of following Nell around the castle, instructing her on how to act around the queen, and teaching her proper courtly manners seemed to have been enough to drive her insane. But ever since news of Alice, the queen had become overbearing with her orders, and Dahlia was always the one she called upon firstly.

"I do not care, Nell! The queen is readying to be hatted, and she has asked for you."

Nell, having no idea what to say, stood, confused.

"GO!" Dahlia hissed, grabbing the girl's arm, and flinging her into motion.

Considering that it had been days since the queen had summoned her, Nell took no time getting to the queen's private dressing room. Needing to be prompt, she ran as fast as she could without missing a step, until she was just outside the dressing room. Huffing breaths, she took a moment to straighten herself. Concealing the fact that she had run, she held her head high and strode into the room.

The queen sat in a chair, a full-length mirror set before her. The immediate members of the court surrounded her, except Um, who was not present. Had the queen gotten rid of her? Dahlia was not there, either.

"Ah, the insolent one!" spat the queen when she took notice of Nell through the mirror. "There you are."

All eyes fell on Nell. Wishing that they'd all look off from her, she lowered her head and took a spot beside Lord Burgle. He gently patted her shoulder. He always had been one of the kinder members of the court. She gave him a small smile then presented the queen with her undivided attention.

The Hatter was brought in, then. His ankles shackled, a red knight held tight to the back of his suit as he guided him along. He kept the hat man in line, and made sure he was poised enough to present before the queen. He was placed behind the queen; a table of the beautiful hats he had made sprawled out before him. The queen gave him a signal to begin, and, with a goofy smile, he reached for a hat that looked like a swans head.

"No," said the queen flatly as he placed it upon her bulbous globe of a head.

Tarrant furrowed his long brows. He tossed it to the side and reached for another.

In Nell's eyes, the Hatter's intricate workings became more conspicuous with each hat. Each hat was more beautiful than the last. As he cycled through the lot, the queen becoming less and less patient with his designs, Nell couldn't help but notice what an unappreciative woman the queen really was. She had witnessed the queen turn her nose up at many things over the years, jewelry, weapons, armor, furniture, and even those who thought themselves eligible for court. Anything and everything that was polished and created for the sake of royalty. Never once had Nell imagined that the queen would be as judgmental on something as simple as a hat.

Of course, she _was_ the Red Queen, with a reputation of being the pickiest monarch in all of Underland's history.

Getting lost somewhere in the red swirly pattern that lined the walls, Nell happened to catch a glimpse of a dark figure sliding into the room.

It was Dahlia. Her cheeks were flushed and her lips quivered nervously. Without even a word from her mouth, she went to the queen, placed her hand over her mouth and leaned into her.

Nell bit her bottom lip as the queen's face turned a deep scarlet.

"STAYYYYNNNNEEEEEE!"


	6. You're My Favorite, Now

The queen's scream, obtrusive in every way possible, could nothing less than be heard from every corner of the castle. It was like the roar of a lioness, claiming her territory.

Nell winced when the queen's voice broke out, and half of the court immediately covered their ears. The queen held the scream for as long as her tiny lungs could. When she was finished, she sat, gripping the arms of her chair angrily. Her face remained scarlet for a matter of a few minutes. Her anger seeped from her and created a tension in the air.

With a swift motion, she jumped from her chair, and stormed from the room, leaving the court and the Hatter in utter confusion.

Nell went to Dahlia, took her by the arm and pulled her into the corridor.

"What is it, Dahl?" Nell asked her mentor. "What has upset the queen so?"

Dahlia sighed. "Stayne. I saw him….. _approach_ Um," she said quietly.

Nell gasped.

That was likely. She recalled on many occasions that Stayne had told her of his fascination with things that were of an abnormally large size, such as the queen's head. Stayne was a peculiar man and his tastes were much odder than those of the other lords of the court.

Not to mention that Um was huge.

"It's tongue lashings for us all now, if we do not tread lightly," Nell stated. She had undoubtedly seen the queen that angry before, and it never ended with anything to be bragged about. It was no use, Stayne was the queen's one true confidant, and, had he betrayed her as Dahlia had said, the queen would factually be in a sour mood for the next few days.

"It's best if we act as if we do not know of the matter," pointed Dahlia. "The queen will be much upset that I told you."

Knowing that Dahlia was right, Nell sulked from the corridor.

Figuring the rest of the court had branched off; she headed for the stables to visit the horses.

She found the little mare she had ridden when she had went with Stayne grazing in the back pasture, among her much larger warshire pasture mates. Nell slipped under the fence. When the mare noticed her she snorted, lifted her head from the grass and went to her.

Nell stroked her muzzle lovingly. The horse and she had created a decent bond on their ride with Stayne, and Nell often thought of her. She had been meaning to ask Stayne to take her riding again, but the situations that stewed inside the castle were much too important to bother asking to ride out. Perhaps after everything blew over she could go riding again.

The horse began to lay her ears back. She pawed the ground and snorted.

Nell turned her attention to the back door of the castle. Um bolted outside and jogged across the stable yard. In her hands was a sword. She held it at the ready as a bunch of red knights poured out of the castle and surrounded her.

Nell didn't understand what was going on. Had the queen sent out an order for her arrest? She had been caught in private with Stayne, after all.

"Alice!" came the vice of Stayne as he appeared.

Nell's jaw fell agape. _Of course!_ She thought. _I can't believe I had not noticed it before!_

Alice was Um! And Um was Alice!

No wonder the queen had fallen for Um so quickly, it was said that Alice was quite the tricky little thing. The queen may have been mad about Um and Stayne, but Nell couldn't imagine how nasty she'd be when she found out that she, herself, had taken in her arch nemesis into her own court.

She ducked behind the mare, and kept a close eye on Alice.

"I can't believe I didn't notice you before," Stayne cooed. "And you were such a little tyke then. Give me the sword!" he ordered.

A knight attempted to round on her, and she held the sword at him.

Nell knew that it could only be the Vorpal Sword.

Ever since she had grown to now the true horridness of the queen's temper, and her selfishness, Nell had longed for the day that Alice would return to Underland for the Frabjous Day. With high hopes that she would earn her freedom from court after the Jabberwocky was slain, she had anticipated Alice's return for many years, and now, here the Champion was, just a few feet from her. A bubble of excitement rose in her core, and she watched intently.

"The queen will be so happy to see you," Stayne pointed out as he advanced on her. "She will take great pleasure in taking off your head."

As the knights restrained her, a loud roar boomed from somewhere round the castle. With no forewarning, the great dog-beast came striding up. He barged through the cluster of knights, knocking them in all directions. Stayne toppled over as well.

Nell watched as Alice jumped atop the Bandersnatch and rode him towards the drawbridge.

She didn't know what to do. She eyed the mare curiously. She could either jump atop the horse and take off and attempt to stop Alice, or she could go to Stayne. Questions plagued her and before she allowed herself to buckle beneath all the questions, she hopped the fence, careful not to trip over her gown, and she went to Stayne.

"Oh, Stayne!" she cried. She bent down and grabbed his arm. She hoisted him to his feet. "Are you all right?"

Stayne grunted. "As I can be. We must go to the queen!" he hissed hastily.

The pair then bolted for the throne room.

They found the queen pacing before her throne.

Stayne went right up to her, and Nell dropped to her knees and bowed her head. Now was a good time as any to welcome any normality back into her life, which included the queen's limited attention.

"Majesty," Stayne said. The queen turned to him. "Alice has escaped!"

The queen's eyes widened dreadfully. _WHACK!_ Her dainty pale hand ripped across Stayne's face. Nell gasped loudly from her position on the floor.

"On the bandersnatch….." Stayne continued.

 _WHACK!_

Stayne licked his lips. He had upset her enough, but decided to risk it and went on. "With….. the Vorpal Sword."

The queen's black eyes met his and she pulsed anger.

 _WHACK! WHACK! WHACK!_

Just as before, Nell recognized the queen's utter disdain for a situation. Her face became scarlet and she clenched her fists.'

"How could you let this happen!?" she shrieked.

Stayne gave her a wild look from his now-unruly hair. "She may have escaped," he said, lowly. "But we have her conspirators. The Hatter. And…. A dormouse."

Both Stayne and Nell knew what was about to escape the queen's lips next. Nell felt a sudden sadness come over her as she thought about her friends.

"OFF WITH THEIR HEADS!"

Stayne immediately rushed from the room, and drew his sword. Nell remained on her knees, for she was much too afraid to move unless the queen dismissed her.

The queen slowly approached her, taking in the girl's appearance as one would take a refreshing drink. The young redhead did not move a muscle, she said nothing, didn't even raise her head. Remaining on her knees was a sign of total submission, and Iracebeth liked that. She towered over the girl and never turned her stare.

Iracebeth dug deep into her memories as she stared on. Not one memory could she find that proved Nell to be a true problem. The girl had been nothing but obedient, and even though she was plagued by klutziness, no matter what wrong went on, the girl would tackle whatever hardship she faced. As a young woman, such hardships had caused her to develop quite the wit, an adventurous tongue, and the ability to face anything she needed to face.

Nell had not betrayed her as much as Alice had.

"Come, girl," Iracebeth said in a deep, serious tone. "You're my favorite now."


	7. Riot in Red

As the sun peeped from the horizon, Nell found herself standing beside the queen on the balcony above the execution site. Her heart was heavy and she felt as if she carried a great weight on her shoulders. After the queen had dismissed her the previous night, she had gone to the dungeons and attempted to free the Hatter and Mallymkun. Much to her dismay it was impossible. She would be losing her two dearest friends in the world.

She did not want to attend the execution, by the queen held her to it. She was imprisoned by her monarch in a mental cage of title, loyalty, and purpose.

Just since the previous night the queen had paid more attention to her than she had her entire six years at court. It felt as if the two sides were pulling at her: her loyalty to her queen and the urge to somehow put her own head on the line and rescue her friends.

Nell tightened her grip around the queen's scepter. For once, the queen had thought her noble enough and asked her to hold her scepter for her during the execution. Such an act had brought out some jealousy from Dahlia, who was often called "the queen's right hand." It was a grand symbol of royalty, but in Nell's hands, it felt like a tool used to bring death.

Since Alice had been discovered in Salazen Grum, the queen had taken back to Nell, summoning her when she needed a different energy about her. Conversation between the two was still minimal, but at least Nell could take comfort that her life was slowly going back to normal.

If her life was considered normal, that was.

Trumpets sounded from below and the queen chuckled lowly, barely audible, but Nell caught wind of it.

"I love a morning execution, don't you all?" she asked the court.

"Yes, your majesty," they all replied in unison. Stayne then came out on the balcony and took his post to the right of the queen.

Below, the Hatter and Mallymkun were escorted from the sidelines. The Hatter was out front and he sulked along behind a knight, who held a rope that was attached to the hat man's wrists. He was taken to the block and kneeled before it.

From the balcony, Nell felt a single tear escape her right eye. She wiped it with a finger, hoping the queen wouldn't notice. She watched with downcast eyes as something was conversed between the Hatter and the executioner, followed by the Hatter resting his chin on the block.

As the executioner rested the axe upon the back of his neck, more tears fell from Nell. A few happened to fall on the queen's scepter as she held it.

She didn't know if she could stay in that spot any longer. She wanted to drop the scepter and run for her chambers. But for some odd reason, it was if she was unable to make her feet move.

Silence spilt the execution yard.

Nell closed her eyes tightly and bit her bottom lip.

One… two….. three.

The axe hit the block, followed by the sound of every person around her gasping.

She shot her eyes open.

As curious as it was, the Hatter's body had disappeared, vanished into thin air. There was not a trace of it anywhere. The executioner dropped his axe in fright, it clanked to the cobblestone. Hundreds of hushed voices than began to crowd the yard, and people began to tense. Nothing like this had ever happened before. Men found themselves questioning their sanity, women covered their children's eyes, and Nell was wondering if she was in a dream.

Iracebeth bit her lip nervously.

Nell was extremely careful not to drop the queen's scepter in her stupor.

The Hatter's hat then levitated to eye level. It twirled in the air, and a cat's head appeared beneath it. He grinned immensely.

"Good morning, everyone!" he greeted.

Nell's face lit up. "Cheshire!" she cried happily.

Cheshire's evaporating skills had proved most worthy.

Iracebeth sat stunned, much too confused to move.

A hand found its way to Nell's shoulder and she jumped. She averted her gaze, to meet the eyes of the true Hatter. He was smiling, revealing the gap between his teeth. He smiled in the same way he had when he had given her the cloth rose, six years previous.

"Hatter," she whispered under her breath.

The Hatter moved to the queen. He stuck his head in front of her from beside her chair.

"Madam," he said, startling her. Her gazed about the faces of the court. "You are being heinously bamboozled by these litspittle toadies you surround yourself with," he chimed joyously.

Grin remaining, he turned to Dahlia, took hold of one of her ears, and yanked it off. Giggling profusely, he tossed it at the queen's feet. Dahlia muttered something of surprise under head breath.

"What is that?!" the queen demanded of her.

Dahlia's eyes flared in anger. "I'm not the only one, majesty," she hissed. She shot a finger at Lady Snout. "Look!"

"A counterfeit nose," examined Lord Burgle from behind Dahlia. "You should be ashamed!"

"Me?" Lady Snout countered. "What about that big belly you're so proud of?" She ripped her plastic nose from her face.

Nell stood, too stunned to move, as all of the other courtiers went on exposing one another to the queen. She took a small pride in the fact that nothing physically about her was faux. Never had she once even expected Dahlia's ears to be fake. All they years she had stuck beside Dahlia due to her fear of the queen she hadn't noticed anything particularly peculiar about her ears, other than they were large. She had been too busy mirroring the woman's manners to bother inspecting her peculiarity.

Her hands were beginning to sweat as she held as tightly as possibly to the scepter.

The queen began to fume; the all-too-familiar shade of crimson began to build up in her albino cheeks. "Liars!" she hissed. "Cheats!" She hastily jumped to her feet and slammed an irritated heel to the balcony floor. "Falsifiers! OFF WITH THEIR HEADS!"

The court members took it upon themselves to back away slowly.

The queen turned her bulging black eyes to Nell, who could do nothing but make eye contact with her.

No forewarning, whatsoever, the queen ripped the scepter from her hands. She advanced on her until Nell clutched the wall behind her.

"And WHAT could YOU possibly be hiding from ME?"

The fear that Nell had felt just a few moments previous cringed inside of her. She was growing utterly sick of the queen constantly getting in her face whenever something went awry. She felt like a punching bag for all of the queen's hissy fits, her cruel tongue and the anger that radiated off her.

Stayne moved behind the queen, reached out, and took hold of her arm. He tried to pull her from Nell's face, but the monarch would not be moved.

Nell felt her cheeks flush. She gritted her teeth.

"WELL?!"

A feeling of pure hatred built up in Nell's core.

"SPEAK!" The queen barked.

At this point, Iracebeth was a mere inch from Nell's face.

"SPEAK, YOU LITTLE BITCH!"

That had done it.

Uncontrollable furiousness was about to come to a head inside of Nell, and there was nothing she could do to stop it.

"I WILL DO _NO_ SUCH THING!" she roared in the queen's face.

"-The abused, and the enslaved of the Red Queen's court," a voice interrupted.

Stayne, Iracebeth and Nell all leaned over the balcony. The Hatter was standing atop the execution block, a shortsword in his grasp. The executioner's head was pinned beneath the Hatter's foot, his hands digging into the block's wooden surface. His stature was heroic, and the people all gazed up at him as if he were a deity.

Nell smiled slyly.

"All of you! Stand up and fight," the Hatter urged enthusiastically. "Rise up against the bloody Red Queen!"

Somehow, somewhere deep inside her, a sense of arrogance and rebellion uprooted, and she knew what was to come next.

"Downal Wyth Bluddy Behig Hid," she said in unison with the crowd below.

The queen's head snapped in her direction and she received a grave look. Nell narrowed her eyes and, bravely, returned said grave look. She pursed her lips and straightened her posture.

Iracebeth struck Nell across the face suddenly.

Iracebeth drew back, prepared for another smart-mouthed comment, but instead of speaking, Nell hurriedly got to her feet. A rope was tied to the balcony. Nell held to it, and hoisted herself over the banister. She allowed her feet to dangle as she looped the rope around her waist. Using the wall as leverage, she lowered herself as close to the ground as possible. There was a few feet between her boots and he ground. She looked upward, to find Stayne looking over the banister at her. He nodded his head in approval, and then withdrew his head from view.

Nell inhaled deeply, then, released the rope. She fell flat on her back and coughed a couple times. Something protruded in her vision, and as she finished coughing and her eyesight smoothed, she recognized the pale hand.

"Come, Lady Nell, time is of the essence," said the Hatter in a joyous tone. She found his jolliness inappropriate, yet comforting.

Nell grinned and took hold of the soft hand. He hoisted her to her feet and brushed her gown off for her.

"Release the Jub-Jub bird!" the queen's voice rang out.

"Not that bloody thing!" Nell hissed. She despised the Jub-Jub bird. It was a loud creature and was annoyingly peckish.

The Jub-Jub bird released a giant screech from atop the tallest tower of the castle. The great bird took a dive. It swooped down, causing the civilians to scatter like frightened mice.

The Hatter retrieved Mallymkun from her hiding place. He took Nell by the hand and they began to elude the crowd.

"We need a horse," the Hatter explained as they ran along.

"On it!" Nell replied.

The Hatter quickly explained that he had something he had to finish before they made an escape. He broke away from her, heading toward the south of the castle, as she continued on, sprinting through first the dining hall, into the main hallway. There, she bolted through the empty throne room, and entered Stayne's secret door behind the throne. Taking the spiral staircase to the ground floor as fast as she could without tripping, she hoped that Stayne would find a way to distract the queen from discovering them. The man had always proved to be two-faced when it came to Her Majesty, and she dearly relied on the sliver of hope that he would live up to his two-facedness.

Slamming the steel door that led out to the stables shut, she bit her lip nervously.

The little mare was grazing in the field with the warshires, as expected. Nell launched herself over the fence. Knowing she not any time for proper riding equipment, she ran across the pasture, and hoisted herself onto the bare back of the steed.

She laid her heels to the mare's sides, and she broke into a swift canter. Nell buried her hands deep in the mare's raven mane and tightened her thighs around the animal's stocky frame. For never riding without a saddle before, Nell surprised herself and got used to the gait quickly.

Nell pointed the mare toward the nearest panel of fence, and urged her onward.

"Over the fence, girl," she told the horse, "over the fence!"

Complying to her rider's request, the mare threw her weight skyward, kicking hardly off the ground. They soared over the gate, and her hooves clattered onto the cobblestone and she took off.

They found the Hatter exiting the main gate, Bielle and her pups at his side.

She rode right up to him, grabbed his raised arm, pulled him up behind her, and whistled the mare. Bielle and her pups matched their gait with ease. As they galloped across the drawbridge, Nell looked over her shoulder at the castle. She was able to see the red knights forming by the front gate, just as the mare's hooves touched the sand of the widespread red desert.


	8. Mirana of Marmoreal

After many hours of riding, the Hatter, somehow, despite the bumpy trail, had drifted asleep upon the back of the mare. Nell didn't understand how he could sleep so poised and not be tossed around by the various land types they traveled over. But he succeeded. His arms were wrapped about her waist, but other than that, the snoozing man relied on his legs to keep him balanced.

Bielle, on the other hand, had a litter of tired puppies, and the young things were struggling to keep up. Mallymkun was curled in the Hatter's pocket sleeping.

Nell had run the mare down completely when they had reached the opposite side of the Tugley wood, by the Outlands. They passed by the Hatter's house, and she had offered to leave him off, but he respectfully declined. He claimed that he needed to get to Alice, who was in Marmoreal, under the protection of the White Queen.

So there their path had been paved.

Riding at a walk was a slow pace for them to settle with whilst they were eluding the red knights, but, alas, any speed faster would break the mare. The long galloping stretch had put them significantly ahead of the knights, but Nell was sure that they were still hunting them.

They came upon Marmoreal just before sunset.

For a kingdom that she had never seen, only heard tales of, Marmoreal appeared to be much grander than she had expected. Since she caught first sight of it on the trail, a bubble of curiosity settled in her stomach. Drawing nearer, the bubble only increased in size.

Nell's caledon eyes took in every curve, every wall, every turret, every tower, and every single little detail about the kingdom of white. The castle at Salazen Grum had a significant contrast of white to it, but nothing as Marmoreal appeared to have. The front gate was extremely tall, and two knights who were the personification of white, marble chess pieces stood on each side.

"Halt!" boomed the chess piece on the left when they rode up. "Who goes there?" He took in the red and black gown the female rider was wearing. He also took note of the black horse.

Nell felt the Hatter shudder awake. He yawned from behind her and then cleared his throat. "Tarrant Hightopp's the name," said the Hatter sluggishly. "I inquire to see the White Queen."

"Indeed," chided the knight to the right. "Her Majesty told us you'd be coming." The chess piece turned around and pulled a pearl-handled lever. The gates opened gracefully. "Welcome to Marmoreal," he said as they rode past them.

At the front stairway, another white knight traipsed from inside the castle. He assured them that he would stable the mare and feed her.

Tarrant slid from the horse's back, and held his arms up. He caught Nell as she slid off, and he rested her on her feet. Nell stroked the horse's neck before she was ushered away by the knight.

Nell took a moment to straighten what she could about herself. She had not yet once met the White Queen, and she was knowledgeable to the fact that she did not look her most fetching. The hem of her gown had become torn during the riot. Her legs were exhausted from sprinting and riding all afternoon. Her hair had fallen from its pins. Compared to the elegance of the castle, she felt as if she looked no better than a peasant.

"Stop fussing," Tarrant assured her. He went to her, and lifted her chin so he could look her in the eyes. "You are most charming."

"I do not feel as such," she replied.

"The White Queen will not take offense to your sudden appearance," he said softly. "She is a lady of peaceful and un-judgmental values."

"You are most correct, Tarrant!" rang out a sing-song voice.

Nell pivoted on her heel.

Standing atop the staircase that led into the castle, was a woman clad in white head-to-toe. Her skin was albino white which blended in perfectly with her pearl-white gown. Her hair was long, ringletted, and also, white. A small crown of silver peeked from atop her ghostly curls. She bore a shining smile.

This was the White Queen.

"Majesty," Nell said, dropping to her knees and bowing her head.

The White Queen descended the stairs and halted before her.

"Lady Nell," she said calmly.

Nell rested her eyes on her. "You know my name," she said in awe.

The queen nodded. "Indeed I do. Like Alice, I, too, have been awaiting your arrival."

Tarrant had not expected the White Queen to welcome Nell in so hastily. In fact, bringing the girl along had been a sporadic decision. Escaping Salazen Grum would have been quite the challenge without the girl's aid, he felt. He was much surprised to hear that she had been anticipating Nell's arrival, as well.

"I do thank you, Tarrant," cooed the queen. "I have been awaiting Lady Nell's arrival for far longer than Alice's. Although," she turned to look at the redhead as she remained kneeled, "both their presences will have a major impact on the Frabjous Day."

Nell quirked a brow.

"Oh, do rise, Lady Nell. I am not my sister," assured the queen.

Nell pulled herself onto her feet and it took everything she had to keep herself from stumbling. She was so tired that her body felt as if it were jelly. Riding for such a long time had taken its toll on her thin body. The queen went to her and took her hand.

"My, my, you look worn," she commented to Nell. "Come, allow me to draw you a warm bath."

The queen led them into the castle, which was far more unique on the inside than Nell had anticipated. They trotted through a long white corridor, with torches lining the walls. The walls opened up into a wide great hall. Everything about the castle was white, save for a few accents that were a bright teal blue, such as the carpets and the candleholders. Many people dressed in white wandered about the great hall, all of them bowing or curtsying to the queen as they walked past her.

They stopped before a towering set of white double doors.

"Tarrant, there is someone here who'd like to speak with you. She's in the throne room. I will take Nell to my personal washroom for a bath, and then I shall join you."

Tarrant smiled. He bowed to the queen, thanked her, and then placed a small kiss on Nell's cheek before the queen swept her away.

On the topmost floor of Marmoreal castle, at the very end of the hall, the White queen's chambers were located behind two doors composed fully of large slabs of pearl. The doors were etched with a design that resembled entwining tree branches, and was bejeweled with small sapphires. As the queen dug in her bodice for her key, Nell traced the design with her fingertips. She was so used to black and red that the white and blue was exotic and comforting.

The queen pulled a blue key from her bodice and sighed happily.

"Consider yourself lucky, my dear girl, I never let anyone in my chambers," she said with a giggle. She took Nell's hand again and they entered.

The queen's chambers were elegant yet spacious. They consisted of a large, white and teal four-poster bed, a writing desk with a teal-feathered quill, a storage trunk with a big teal lock on it, a hearth for fires, a cuckoo clock, and a bookshelf filled of books of all colors. The books clashed horridly with the rest of the room.

The queen took her into a washroom off of her chambers. There was a huge round tub, a sink and a toilet. She swept to the tub and turned on the faucet. The sound of the running water was almost enough to relax Nell alone.

The queen walked from the room, then reappeared holding a white, flowy gown.

"When you are finished, put this on." She gestured to Nell's black and red gown. "It appears that your current gown is ruined."

Nell looked down. True as it was, with the hem of her skirt being torn in various places, the gown was also plastered with dirt. She was sure that she didn't smell too nice, either.

She took the gown from the queen thankfully. "You are far too gracious, your majesty," she chided softly. "I will never forget your kindness."

The queen's hands then began to twist and turn in an odd, graceful fashion, as if she could not keep them still. "All living things deserve kindness," she replied. "Even those like my sister."

She then beckoned Nell to enjoy her bath, and left the room.

Knowing she was alone, Nell reached over her shoulder, to the large corset tie sat just beneath her shoulder blades. She took the ribbon in her fingers and gave it a gentle pull. She felt her bodice release. Taking a deep breath, she then dropped her skirt, and slipped from her undergarments.

Sighing, she waded into the warm water and set to work scrubbing every inch of her body.

What if the Red Queen found her in Marmoreal and had her killed?

The warmth of the water was enough to allow her to relax so her mind could wander. Dozens of questions flooded through her mind. Visions of her life at Salazen Grum plagued her, as well: images of the Red Queen on her throne, Stayne laughing, riding her black mare, her kneeling at the queen's feet, Dahlia and Lord Burgle, the queen practicing her croquet strokes. It was as if the last six years of her life were trying to squeeze themselves into her brain at once.

Something suddenly came into her mind.

It was so vivid it was as if she felt herself slip back in time.

 _A very young Nell, roughly six years of age, was prancing around the garden at Salazen Grum. She twirled, and danced, giggling as she went. The little Nell stopped mid-twirl and raised her gaze skyward. A distorted image of the notorious Jabberwocky could be seen. The great beast flew over the castle walls, roaring as it did. He swooped low enough to frighten Nell and she fell to the ground._

Nell paused, a sponge raised to face.

"What in bloody Underland?" she whispered to herself.

Not understanding at all what she had just envisioned, she began to scrub her face.

Never once had she seen the Jabberwocky in person, especially not that close. And as for how young she appeared in the vision, being in Salazen Grum any time before age eight was utterly impossible.

Or was it.

No matter how hard she tried to uproot memories from her childhood, the more disappointed she became. The furthest back she could ever remember was the night Dahlia had plucked her from the street. Over the years she had attempted many different ways of trying to familiarize herself with something that would stimulate her memory process. Potions, meditations, readings, herbal baths, staring at paintings, anything she could think of to bring something to mind.

But nothing did.

Not even asking those around the castle helped, no one knew a thing.

Nell Cerise had no true memory of her childhood.

Before she became saddened, she finished the bath and pulled the plug.

She dried herself off and slid the white gown over her head. It was a white corset, with the skirt, sleeves and collar sewed right into it. It was lightly and flowy, completely unlike any other gown she had worn in the Red Queen's court. She laced the laces and reached for the brush the queen laid out for her. She brushed her long, ginger hair then left it flat, rather than pinning it up.

She found a laundry sack and tossed her soiled gown into it, along with her stockings and muddy red boots. She then made way for the throne room, totally barefoot.

A maid found her in the great hall, and fetched the laundry sack from her.

By this time it was dark outside and the majority of the court had retired.

Nell pushed through the throne room doors.

The White Queen was upon her throne, the smallest of Bielle's pups snuggled in her lap as she stroked it. She recognized Bayard, the hound used to track Alice, lying at the queen's feet, beside Bielle and the other four pups. The Hatter was seated on the floor, as well, his attention turned up to the queen as she laughed.

There, on a small stool to the right of the queen, was Alice.

She was no longer of Um size, but of a regular size.

"Ah, Nell," cooed the queen when she saw her. "Do you feel better?"

"Much, thank you."

The Hatter clapped his hands when his eyes met her. "You look scrumptious!" he cheered at her white gown.

Nell giggled, held her arms out, and whirled. The light skirt of the gown flew around her body as if it were completely unaffected by gravity. A small applause went up. She had never been called "scrumptious" before.

"That color is much more fitting on you," Mallymkun said happily from the Hatter's shoulder.

Alice smiled and stood from her stool. She went to Nell and stuck out her hand. "Alice Kingsleigh," she introduced.

Nell smiled back at her, and shook her hand. "Nell Cerise. I believe we've met," she giggled.

The Hatter began to laugh hysterically.

"Pleasure to meet you again, Lady Nell," Alice chimed.

The queen rose and, carrying the snoozing puppy, approached the two girls. In truth, she had expected what little loyalty Nell bore for her sister to come crawling out when she met Alice formally. Salazen Grum had always been the girl's only home, and anyone sensible would have defended their only home. It became obvious that Nell was much different than she had anticipated.

"I do find it interesting that you remain loyal to such a perfectly horrid queen," Alice pointed out sweetly.

Nell sighed. "It's a very complex situation, Miss Kingsleigh. The Red Queen took me into her court when I had nowhere to turn. As horrid as she may seem, I know she has heart."

In her own mind, Mirana found herself stuck between a rock and a hard place. She felt her heart wretch inside her as a memory of her and Iracebeth playing with dolls flashed through her mind. The sweet, innocent Iracebeth she used to romp about the castle at Witzend with was long gone. Iracebeth had gone on in life to hurt many, including young Nell.

There was something that Mirana needed to do.

She gently placed the sleeping puppy beside Bayard.

She then offered Nell her hand. "Lady Nell," she began. "May I have a word?"

"Of course, your majesty," Nell replied, lightly taking her hand.

Again, Nell found herself being swept away by the White Queen. This time, she took her to a room where a large table sat in the center, covered with various bottles, containers and vials of unrecognizable objects. Nell went to the table and scanned over every vessel about it. Hair, colorful liquids, nails, claws from animals, dirt, crystals, there was menagerie of odd things. Nell didn't know what to think. The queen was across the room rummaging through a cabinet.

"My sister preferred to study Dominion over Living Things as a girl," said the queen when she noticed Nell taking in all of her spell ingredients.

"So," began Nell, "all of these _things_ are for spell work?" she asked curiously.

"Precisely."

Mirana shuffled through the things in the cabinet until her hand touched a leather surface. Her fingers traced a cold piece of metal, and she bit her bottom lip with satisfaction. She took hold of the journal and pulled it from the cabinet. She blew the layers of dust from the top, revealing the leather's bright cherry color. The silver lock on the front had not rusted.

She took it to the table and set it down. "Tell me, Nell, what do you know of your family?"

Nell looked up from a jar of what appeared to be the heart of a being with question in her gaze. Her eyes moved to the nearest window. The moon was high in the sky. A sudden sensation of floating could be felt in her chest. It irked her to think of her family. It hurt her that she could not remember.

"I remember not a thing," she replied softly, with hardly any emotion. "It's as if, when Dahlia found me, I had no past."

Mirana chuckled. "Everyone has a past, my dear Nell."

"Then why is it to such difficulty that I cannot remember mine?" Nell asked quickly. Her emotions were starting to build up and she felt squished in an imaginative narrow space. Anger was present, and she collected herself before she lost it before the queen.

Mirana smoothly slid the journal across the table surface to Nell.

"This shall tell you everything," said Mirana mysteriously.

Nell caressed the cover of the journal. It was cherry red with a heart design etched into it. The sight of it took her back to Salazen Grum, to the everlasting patterns of black and red hearts that were plastered about the castle. Without the White Queen speaking another word, Nell knew instantly what the journal was.

It was the Red Queen's diary.


	9. Having to Leave

Speechless, instinctively, Nell pulled at the lock on the crimson diary. It was solid and would not budge.

"There is no key, I'm afraid," said Mirana. "I think Iracebeth has it hidden somewhere."

Curiously, Nell raised a thin ginger brow. "Then how is it you have the journal, yet not the key?" she asked.

Mirana sighed. She reached a delicate hand across the table, picked up a jar of a purple liquid, and dropped a few droplets into her empty brewing cone. She then grabbed a buttered finger, chopped into pieces with a cleaver and tossed that in as well.

"On the Hourenvendush Day," she began, "I located it among the ashes of the remnants of the village at Trotters Bottom. Strange place for a book of personal information, I know. I believe she had it with her and she dropped it."

Hourenvendush Day, the very day that the Red Queen- she had been Princess Iracebeth at the time- had allied herself with the Jabberwocky, and they had spread terror across Underland, for the sake of stealing the crown. She had succeeded, and had left most of Underland in flames, and many families in utter despair. It was just one of the many days that Mirana dreaded to think of.

Nell poked a curious finger at the lock. Not once she recalled having seen the Red Queen with a key of any sort. She didn't even have a key to her chambers, as the White Queen had.

She could pick the lock with a needle, a hairpin even.

But it seemed more proper to obtain the key.

"Have you any idea where the key is in the castle?" Nell asked the White Queen.

"Only one," she replied. She held a vial of red goop to the brewing cone, and was careful as to not add too much. She gently tipped it and replied: "I recall a heart-shaped jewelry box. Racie had always kept her trinkets in it."

"As if the key to her life scribbles is considered a trinket," Nell said with wit.

"Of course," shot Mirana flatly. She then began to stir the contents of the cone. "You must find that key if you are to discover your life's secrets."

Eagerness began to grow inside her. Without another word on the matter, Mirana dismissed her and gave her directions to a room she would share with Alice. Nell wandered through the castle, the Red Queen's old diary in her hand. She wondered what sort of evil things were written in it.

Upon the balcony in the guest quarters that overlooked the front courtyard of the castle, sat Alice in one of two randomly placed chairs. There was a small table between them. Nell entered the chamber, and rounded in front of her. Alice sipped from a white bejeweled teacup then casted an expression of welcome.

"Lady Nell," she said, "you look whipped."

"Indeed," Nell replied as she carelessly plopped into the second armchair. "It's been a very strenuous day."

It was hard to believe that just hours ago, she had been in Salazen Grum, standing above the execution site, marked as the Red Queen's favorite.

Alice sighed and set down her teacup. "That it has." She allowed her eyes to wander about the silhouettes of the mountains that sat off in the distance. Underland was concealed by nighttime, but the moon was bright and it reflected off of the shapes of things. "Can I ask you something?"

Nell, not totally sure of how she felt about Alice, she cleared her throat lightly. "Of course." She fiddled with the cover of the Red Queen's diary.

"Why are you so loyal to her? The Red Queen, I mean. She's so…horrid."

Nell lay a hand flat to the cover of the diary and bit her bottom lip. She felt as if no matter how hard she tried to explain everything, that Alice would have a hard time understanding. It was true that the Red Queen could be a horrid person, but, Nell new, that deep down underneath all of the irritability and anger, the Red Queen must have had something good inside of her.

"Well, for starters," Nell said, "she saved my life."

Alice was surprise. Her jaw fell agape.

Nell met her questioning gaze. "She took me in when I was eight. It sounds odd, I know, but I cannot remember a thing before being called to court. It's almost as if I never had a past."

Alice had heard of many impossible things, and had experienced lots of impossible things in Underland. But something such as a person not having a past sounded truly ridiculous.

"Well, you must have a past, everyone does," Alice commented.

Alice made a humming noise before she sipped her tea again. As much as she felt bad for Lady Nell, she knew that she had to keep herself focused on the Frabjous Day, which was only a few days away. There was much to do in preparation for the battle that was to come. She had to be properly fitted into the White Queen's armor. Her sword skills needed attending to, and she still had to figure out whether or not everything around her was a dream or reality.

Alice gave her tea another sip. Nell, too, picked up a tea cup and began to sip.

Night in Underland was quite a serene time. Hardly anything stirred except for the various types of song beetles that came out to make music for the moon. Nell found herself lost in the darkness. She felt as if she had left a big part of herself back in Salazen Grum. It was a feeling she could not explain.

In all honesty, Nell couldn't help but miss the routine of her life back at court. Everything was as it should have been and she had to admit that it was a lifestyle she has taken too quickly, and it had its perks. For instance, she knew that she was well protected. Clothing, food and a bed were things that were provided without question, and deep down, she was thankful.

If only the Red Queen had been a kinder person.

A dreadful feeling that Nell's life would never be the same began to drape over her. She had never taken to change nicely.

"How exactly will you feel if I do slay the jabberwocky?" Alice asked after a few silent moments. "You will lose your queen."

"Aye," replied Nell. "Perhaps it would be best for Underland."

Alice agreed.

Early the next morning, as Nell lay snuggled beneath a huge white quilt, she was awoken suddenly by a cool hand on her forehead. She jerked in her sleep and sat up quickly.

Why, it was the White Queen. She was smiling at Nell.

"You best get up," she cooed quietly. "We must get you home."

A bright ray of sunlight poured into the chamber through the balcony doors, and shone right in Nell's face. She raised a palm to shield her eyes. "Home?"

"To Salazen Grum," the White Queen replied.

Before another word could escape her lips, Tarrant Hightopp came skipping into the room. He was carrying a bundle of crimson and black. He greeted her and bade her good morning, as he unfurled the bundle to reveal a long, thin gown. It was composed of the Salazen Grum colors. The style of it was simple yet intricate.

"Hatter, it's beautiful!" Nell exclaimed when she came to the realization that he had made it for her.

"Fresh off the machine," Tarrant explained in a high pitch as he handed it to her.

Bayard then came trotting into the room. Mallymkun was sitting on his back, holding onto his collar. In the bloodhound's mouth was a small crimson top hat with a black ribbon. Tarrant accepted the hat from Bayard and held it up.

"I whipped this up in a jiffy!" he said as he handed it to her.

"Hatter, this is exquisite," Nell chided as she examined every inch of the hat. It would look ravishing, she thought, amongst her ginger curls and she couldn't wait to try it on. "I thank you!"

The White Queen gave an approving nod. "You must hurry, Nell." She then collected everyone and ushered them from the room, leaving Nell sitting in bed, her new gown sprawled across her lap.

She slid from the bed, her bare feet touching the cool stone floor. She gathered her new outfit and went to the washroom. She bathed her face in cool water and brushed her curls. The gown was very light, and it was a tad baggy compared to the tight gowns she had worn back home. The majority of the gown was crimson, and it had a two sizeable black hearts that covered her top and the other her back. The two top curves of the heats touched at her shoulder blades, and the point at the bottom came to an end just above her waist. It seemed to give her breathing room, and she was glad for it. When changed, she took a moment to gaze at herself in the mirror. The crimson and black clashed horridly with the kingdom of white that surrounded her, and she stuck out like a sore thumb. She wasn't sure if she was ready to return to Salazen Grum. What would the Red Queen do? Kill her? Punish her? Have her locked away?

She could only imagine. Many vision-like scenarios poured into her mind as she placed the hat atop her head and pinned a few red curls around it to hold it in place. With what willpower she could scoop up, she pushed all thoughts from her mind, and took her leave.

Everyone was in the front courtyard. Tarrant stood, holding the bridle to her black mare. The horse whinnied when she caught sight of Nell. Beside the horse was Alice, the White Queen, Bayard and McTwisp.

"Easy, girl," Tarrant soothed to the excited horse.

"You look absolutely stunning," complimented the White Queen. "Why you look like..." she paused, and took in the girl's delicate facial features. "You look just like…."

 _Those eyes_ , Mirana thought.

"Yes, your majesty?" Nell asked.

"You look like… someone I once knew." She placed her hands on Nell's cheeks and gazed into her eyes for a moment. "Do you have the diary?" she asked quietly so no one would hear.

Nell patted her bodice, signaling that the diary was tucked down in it. Mirana winked at her.

"Here," said Mirana, reaching into her own bodice. She pulled out a scroll that was wrapped in a red ribbon. "Give this to my sister. No harm should come to you once she reads it. It will ensure your safety in her court once again."

Nell sighed. She took the scroll. She had hoped that the White Queen would ask her to stay. It was rather kind of her to write her a note on her behalf, and she hoped deeply that it would allow her back into court. If she must go back to the Red Queen, she would settle, for it would be a wish of the White Queen.

"You have been exceedingly kind, your majesty," Nell said smoothly. "You have my everlasting gratitude."

Mirana smiled and patted Nell's head.

Nell went to Tarrant and hugged him.

"Whatever happens, you shall always be my dearest of friends," she told him. She held tight to him for a moment and sniffed the exotic perfume oil he was wearing. "You noticed me in Salazen Grum when no one else wanted to. And for that I am forever grateful."

"You could stay," Tarrant offered softly.

Nell shook her head. "Believe me, I would love nothing more." She pressed her palm to her bodice and felt the diary press against her skin. "But there are questions I must answer, and mysteries I must solve."

Tarrant smiled softly, then his lips pursed as his hands went to her sides, and he lifted her off her feet. He set her atop her mare and he gathered the reins. Nell slid her boots into her stirrups and took hold of the reins. The mare began to fidget underneath her weight. She chomped at the bit in her mouth excitedly.

Nell looked down at Tarrant serenely. Alice appeared beside him, and she grinned up at her.

"Twas lovely meeting you again, Lady Nell."

"Aye, and you, too. We shall find ourselves together once again when the Frabjous Day arrives."

Without another word, Nell nudged the mare into a swift canter and they headed out of Marmoreal, and broke into a hard gallop when they became encased in the tree trunks of the Tugley Wood.


	10. Wonderful Welcome Home

The ride back to Salazen Grum seemed much too short to Nell. Sooner than she had expected, the mare carried her through Trotter's Bottom, through the Tugley Wood, and she had just entered the Red Desert. It seemed more barren than usual. She had only been gone half a day, but it felt as if she had been gone for eternity. She didn't know how to feel as the castle appeared from over the hills. In the distance, she could see red knights marching back and forth before the drawbridge. No doubt the Red Queen had increased the amount of guards due to the riot the previous day.

Nell halted the mare for a moment. She traced the shape of the diary that was pressed to her chest beneath her bodice and sighed. She hoped that the White Queen's scroll could spare her from being beheaded. She asked her mare to walk forward and her hooves began to clank across the wooden drawbridge.

A red knight took notice of her, and ordered some of his companions to block her. They lined across the bridge, spears in hand.

"Turncoat," hissed Number One, the leader of the army.

Nell raised her nose in the air and tried to take on the air she had held so well back in court. "Tell the Red Queen that Lady Nell Cerise has returned from Marmoreal, and she brings word of Alice," she lied.

Number Ten let out a roaring laugh. "The only thing you bring word of is the execution block!"

Nell gritted her teeth slightly. The rumors had already spread. They didn't really have the standing to mark her 'a turncoat,' that was up to the queen. Unless the queen herself had publicly announced to the peasants of the village and everyone at court that she was to be declared a turncoat, Nell was simply still Lady Nell.

The queen must have not publicly announced anything, for if she had, the red knights would have already torn into her. The situation was most peculiar, and Nell knew she had to hold the air about her that she had worn so proudly whilst she was still at court.

With no time to react properly, Number One reached up, grabbed hold of Nell's arm, and ripped her from the mare's back. She fell hard and cried out. She regained her wits and went to sit up, but Number One placed a heavy metal foot on her chest and held the tip of his spear to her throat. She began to cough. She attempted to draw back as Number One made an iron fist and it wailed her directly in the stomach. The diary provided no cover for her, as it had ridden high in her bodice and was in danger of popping out the top of her corset. She weakly managed to reach two fingers into the bodice, and when they met the texture of the thing, she pushed down farther against her body.

As Number One raised his spear, a force came from behind him, and bashed into him heavily. His foot was removed from crushing her chest and before she knew it, he clunked on the cobblestone beside her.

Nell felt a pair of arms hoist her from the ground. Her head was spinning and she thought she was going to vomit. Her figure was spun around and then draped backwards. When her vision came to, she found herself looking up at Ilosovic Stayne.

"Stayne," she whispered his name in surprise.

"The Queen is to not know of this," he shot quickly at her. He stopped at the castle wall, and leaned his back against it. Supporting his weight on the wall, he reached around himself, and pulled his cape loose from his armor. He then began to swaddle Nell's figure in it, until she was completely covered. He twisted the heavy material into a makeshift hood and pulled it close to her head, concealing her long ginger tendrils. He then straightened his posture, adjusted her weight in his arms and he began moving forward through the entrance. "Stay silent," he bade her. "We cannot have someone seeing you, or the Queen will kill us both, for sure."

A feeling of relief bordered with peace began to fill her. It was apparent that Stayne had not changed his mind about her, and for that she was grateful.

Stayne carried her through the castle as if she were a fragile bundle. He was careful not to rock her too much, as she had just been assaulted by the best of the red knights. He avoided all eye contact with courtiers he passed; they all knew better than to question the Knave.

With much determination, he carried her to the second floor. He knew the Queen was taking tea in the throne room in an effort to relax her temper, and that the girl would be safe in her own chambers.

Once arrived, he gingerly placed her cloak-clad figure upon her bed. She let out a painful moan before her eyes shut, and her head fell against the crimson pillow.

Stayne slid his hands from his gloves, and began to unwrap the cloak from her. He paid close attention to her mid-section as he slid the cloak from underneath her and he tossed it to the floor. Nell had bit her lip in the process of getting walloped and a stream of crimson blood trickled from the right side of her mouth. He wiped it with the hem of the cloak.

The girl had been through so much the past day and a half. As soon as she had escaped with the Hatter, Iracebeth had doubled the patrol on the grounds, and had rounded out a large search party. The monarch had taken much interest in finding Lady Nell and have her dragged back to Salazen Grum. Luckily for Nell, she had managed to elude all of the search parties, and had dumbly returned to Salazen Grum by her own accord.

 _Foolish girl_ , Stayne thought as he tucked her bed quilt around her. He got to his knees and leaned in at her.

Nell moaned again, and her bright eyes fluttered open.

"I bid you, Lady Nell, you must remain here," he said worriedly. "The Queen must not discover you. She and I are leaving for the Outlands tomorrow morning. We are to prepare the Jabberwocky for battle. She is determined to return home after the Frabjous Day and hold a kingdom-wide execution for Alice."

Nell reached a weak hand out and took his. "She mustn't win, Stayne," she whispered. "She will destroy us all."

He brushed a hand through her long hair. "As much as I hope for Alice to succeed, I must remain loyal to Her Majesty in the case that she does not."

"Aye," Nell replied softly. "And what to become of me?"

"You must stay in your chambers until we are gone from the castle. We are leaving at first light. If you are to leave Salazen Grum for good, I suggest you do so before we return tomorrow evening." He got to his feet, collected his cape and put his gloves back on. He halted before her chamber door, and sighed. "Lady Dahlia and the rest of the court have been dismissed permanently. The Queen will see no one besides myself. I will inform Dahlia of your return, and that after the Queen retires, she is to come and see to you."

Stayne fled the chamber hurriedly.

For what seem like months, Nell drifted into a sleep so deep that she became lost in her own subconscious. Her mind flashed many odd visions that had no real explanation to them. Things like roses, the castle at Salazen Grum, the Red Queen on her throne, the White Queen kneeling in a garden, her hands dug into dirt, the Hatter the day she was brought into court. Images of all those she knew on a personal level.

One vision stood out like a sore thumb amongst the others.

 _It was as if she were having a flashback. The view of her tiny six-year-old feet that stuck outward as she sat in a room filled with crimson everything. In her left hand was a stuffed animal that horrifyingly resembled what she knew the jabberwocky to look like. The toy began to move up and down, and its wings flapped. The child whose eyes she looked through let out an impressionable dragon's roar and then began to giggle afterward._

 _"_ _Nell!" echoed a familiar voice._

 _Dahlia traipsed into the room._

 _"_ _Nell," she said. "The queen is waiting for you."_

Nell's eyes shot open before the little girl could answer Dahlia.

She moaned and placed a hand to her head. Her blood pumped heavily through her veins, her eyes were sore and the tenderness of her mid-section was most unbearable. Remembering Number One's foot heavy on her chest, she sighed, and painstakingly hoisted herself into a sitting position.

Night had come to Salazen Grum and the world outside her balcony doors- which were propped open- was as silent as could be. Nothing seemed alive.

Her chamber doors squeaked open and in stepped the shadowed figure of Dahlia. She was carrying a lit candelabrum and she was in her night shift. Nell felt strange looking at her, for Dahlia had not her false ears on, nor the face makeup that she wore when she went to the queen. Her long, dark hair was down and it, to Nell's surprise, was waist-length. She was so used to seeing her with her hair pinned up.

"Dahl," Nell whispered.

Dahlia scurried to the bed and flung her free arm around Nell's neck.

"Oh, Nellie, my pet, I was so frightened you were dead!" she cried.

Nell pulled from Dahlia's grasp. "Why presume such a thing? Are there rumors?"

Dahlia shook her head gently, careful as to not have her long hair touch the flames of the candelabrum. "They say that the queen will stop at nothing until you and Tarrant Hightopp are executed. She's been having search parties round-the-clock."

Remembering what Stayne had said, Nell nodded and shifted her gaze to the firelight in Dahlia's hand. "And what of the courtiers?" she asked, picturing Lord Burgle and Lady Snout, if those really were their names. Like their oddities, their names, too, surely were faux.

"They're gone. Lord Burgle managed passage across the sea to his homeland. Lady Snout was escorted back to her parent's manor in Snud. I'm not entirely sure of the others, I've heard no news."

"And what of you?"

"Banished from court."

"Why do you remain here?" Nell asked.

Dahlia sighed. "The queen has forgiven me. She claims that I am unlike the others, although I partook in their little falsifying gambit. I have a mind to settle in Marmoreal. I hear the White Queen is quite the gracious woman."

Nell smiled. "She is the kindest soul in all of Underland," she chided smoothly.

Dahlia pursed her lips. "I'm not sure how I will look in white, though," she giggled as she pulled at her crimson nightshift.

Nell giggled with her until there was a streak of pain in her middle. She steadied herself. She reached a weakened hand into her bodice and pulled the diary out. Whilst she had slept, the book had pressed itself to her skin and it hurt to peel it from her person. She held it out to Dahlia, who set the candelabrum on the nightstand and took it.

"What in Underland…"

"It's the Queen's personal journal. The White Queen gave it to me. She said that the clues to my past are buried within Iracebeth's writing," she explained.

Dahlia gasped when Nell referred to the queen as 'Iracebeth.' She couldn't remember the last time she had heard the Red Queen's birth name. She had been the one to look after Nell the past six years and she deeply longed for an opportunity to arise so the girl could find her family. It seemed like the night she plucked her from the street, filthy and frightened, was an eternity lost in the hands of time.

"No key?" asked Dahlia. She fiddled with the brass lock.

"The White Queen thinks Iracebeth is hiding it in her heart box."

Something lit up in Dahlia's eyes. "I know that box! Her Majesty keeps her trinkets in it."

Nell was annoyed at the fact that yet another person had mistaken a journal key for a common trinket. She pushed the thought aside and replied: "I must find that key."

"However will you get past the guard at this hour?"

"Simple. Stayne advised me to do what needs to be done after him and the queen leave for progression in the morning. Knowing that there is mutiny afoot, no doubt that Her Majesty will take along the entirety of the army."

"Her paranoia always did get the best of her," Dahlia commented.

Silence then seeped into the room. Nell's eyes fell on the bright moon outside her window, and Dahlia twiddled with a string on her nightshift. The two women remained quiet for a few moments until Nell sighed.

"I am sore," she said as she shifted her weight uncomfortably.

Stayne had told Dahlia of everything that had taken place on the drawbridge. The news had made her sick to her stomach and she had spent the remainder of the day waiting until she could slip to see Nell without drawing attention to herself. Nell looked beat and she still had a smear of blood on her chin from her bloody lip.

"Come," beckoned Dahlia. "It is safe for you to bathe."

Once again Nell found herself sitting still in a warm, soothing bath. Dahlia had sprinkled some sort of salt into the bath water that when it dissolved, the whole washroom smelled of patchouli and rose petals. Dahlia had snuck into the chambers to poke around for a nightshift for her to slip into when she was finished soaking her sore body. Bathing complete, Dahlia helped her from the tub; pat-dried her with a towel, slid the clean nightshift over her head, and helped her back into bed. Dahlia took the liberty to slip Nell a small vile of sleeping potion, and once the girl was asleep, she fled from the chamber. She would help Nell into the Red Queen's chambers come morning.


	11. Caught Red-Handed

Nell awoke just before sunrise. She slipped into one of her old gowns and headed for the great hall. Discovering that the castle was completely empty of any living beings, she hardly knew what to think. It was expected to see servants, cooks, maids, guards, fishmen and even frogmen scattered about, but, alas, the castle was silent and lacked liveliness. As she trudged through the main floor, she caught glimpse of a red knight marching out the front gate. She stuck close to the wall and inched behind him.

True to his word, Stayne joined the queen in the front courtyard, where she had placed herself in her sedan chair. The entirety of the red army surrounded her, each solider bustling about checking the status of their armor.

"Ah, there you are," she chirped. "Any news of the turncoat?"

Stayne placed a kiss on the queen's pale hand. "Nothing at the moment, my queen," he replied smoothly. His mind wandered to the Lady Nell, sleeping heavily in her chamber. He wondered if Dahlia had gone to her.

"How is it, that with the strength of my great army, can we not locate _one_ simple girl?" she asked lowly. She was growing tired of her soldiers not bringing her what she asked for.

"We think the White Queen is concealing her from us," Stayne replied. He would do anything to divert the queen from discovering Lady Nell in the castle.

"So predictable of my sister….," grunted Iracebeth. "My ugly little sister," she added. Iracebeth clicked her tongue. "Ah, well, let her have the rabble. I don't need them. I have you," she said happily, batting her large eyelashes at Stayne.

Stayne mounted his warshire, rolled his eye, and called out to the cards. The progression began to flow across the drawbridge. Nell clung to the wall behind her and remained as still as she possibly could. The fear of being seen was too high-stake for her to take any chances. When the entire progression had turned into a small moving blob on the horizon, Nell took off at a dead run.

If gnawing hunger had not been an issue ongoing within Nell, she would have forgotten food altogether and would have proceeded to track down Dahlia. She had not hear from nor seen the woman since she had crawled out of bed. She couldn't have traced far from the castle, after all, Dahlia was much too used to being under heavy protection and even the slightest of confrontations would have unnerved her.

Nell, however, was much too bold to be frightened by any sort of confrontation.

In fact, taking pleasure in the fact that the Red Queen was going to be miles away from the castle, she figured she'd cause some ruckus.

Firstly she went to the kitchen, where neither cook nor maid could be found anywhere. Nell began rummaging through the stockpiles of jars of tadpoles, pigs feet, frog legs, containers of eyeballs, and all of the other foodly oddities that the Red Queen enjoyed. Considering that, like the Queen, she had an adventurous appetite; nothing she came across was too odd for her. She had come to enjoy the various things she had eaten at the castle. She dug through everything until she crossed a fresh platter of squimberry tarts and her eyes lit up.

The queen adored her tarts almost as much as she enjoyed chopping off heads. They seemed to be the monarch's only vice, and one could observe that she often ate them when stressed or needed distraction from whatever issue was placed before her. Every once in a while, when there was an event to be celebrated, or if the queen was feeling gracious, she would share her tarts with those closest to her; Dahlia, Stayne, and Nell. It was a very rare occasion when she shared them with the entire court- an ongoing that had only taken place twice in Nell's six years of servitude.

Nell took a tart and slid it into her mouth, the juicy purple squimberry jelly hitting her tongue sweetly and sending a joyful shock through her whole body.

Happily she consumed half of the platter, and strode slowly from the kitchen with a full belly and a satisfied ego. She would be long gone by the time the queen and Stayne returned, and she would be oblivious to who ate the tarts.

Nell then moved to the throne room.

She whipped open the huge doors and hopped into the room.

"OFF WITH HIS HEAD!" she screeched to the top of her lungs. Her mimic of the queen echoed off the walls of the empty castle.

Giggling to herself, she approached the empty throne and hopped into it. She snuggled her back to the throne and sighed deeply.

"Stayne," Nell said to herself, trying to hook the queen's tone. "Wose….," (rose). "Wed," meaning 'red." She giggled again and then scanned the massive tapestry that hung on the leftmost wall of the throne room. It portrayed an image of the Red Queen on her coronation day. "Iwacebeth," Nell spat in the queen's lisp. A vision of the White Queen came to mind.

"Miwana!" Nell exclaimed before she busted out into a laugh.

Deciding that she had important things to do before the Frabjous Day, Nell vacated the throne room and began to ascend the stairwell to the second floor. Her mind began to wonder as to where Dahlia could have been. She had been screaming in the throne room, and the woman had not shown her face.

"Dahlia!" Nell yelled across the second floor.

She halted at the very top of the stairs and listened.

The castle was so silent it was eerie.

She trotted to Dahlia's chamber at the end of the hall and stuck her head in. "Dahl?"

Nothing but an empty bed; and no answer.

Feeling disdain, Nell straightened herself and remembered that she had secrets to unveil.

She had to find that bloody key.

The Red Queen's chambers were located on the topmost floor of the castle. The only things higher to the sky than the queen's rooms were the towers which held the most observant red knights. The rooms were concealed by two immense crimson doors composed of a very heavy metal. They were etched with gold-plated hearts and a large brass lock secured the doors shut. The lock was very similar to the small lock on Iracebeth's diary.

Nell came to find out that the doors were not easily budged, and after many different schemes to attempt to break them open, it was no use. She even rammed into them with a shoulder after taking a running start, and all that got her was an instant trip to falling on the floor and holding her aching shoulder tenderly.

Still, she would not give up.

An idea came to mind, and she peeled her sore self from the floor and descended back down to the first floor of the castle. She jogged through the great hall, across the dining room, to the back of the castle where the red knights had rooms of their own. At the very end of the corridor was an oak door, behind it, the armory.

Nell had never had to bear a weapon for any real purpose, but Stayne had taken some time out of his life to instruct her how to protect herself with a small dagger he had gifted to her on one of her birthdays.

The armory was a dark and dank room; the walls were lined with spears, swords, crossbows and many other weapons. Nell grabbed hold of the first sword she could easily access, and pulled it from the wall. Not expecting it to be so heavy, her slim fourteen-year-old arms couldn't muster the strength to lift it before the tip clanked down upon the floor. She huffed and, despite her sore body, managed to lift it enough to wear she could rest the blade sideways upon her shoulder and carry it.

Quickly as she could, and without tripping over her skirts, she went back to the queen's chamber.

With all her might, Nell raised the sword high above her head, and brought the blade down as hard as she could upon the chain that entwined the doors with the brass lock.

Nell watched with pride as links of the chain split in half and fell to the floor. She dropped the heavy sword with a loud clank, and she pushed the doors open.

The room was nothing as she had expected it to be. It was garnished in black and crimson, like the rest of the castle, but the furnishings were quaint and tasteful, she had to admit. There was a huge four-poster bed adorned with crimson quilts, a writing desk with black-feathered quills, and a rack of jars with ingredients similar to the ones she had seen the White Queen use in her spell room. Beside the rack was a large hearth, which had remnants of a recent fire in it. Atop the hearth was what she sought out.

That peculiar heart-shaped box.

It wasn't any bigger than a standard jewelry box. The box itself was maroon red and had a texture similar to velvet, adorned to black designs. It had age to it, as when Nell lifted it, it smelled of old oils. It was hefty for how little it was. It weighed almost as much as the sword did.

It too, had a lock and Nell sighed impatiently.

She shook the box wildly, listening to everything rattle inside of it. Sounds of small metal things bouncing off one another could be heard. Tired of constantly being halted by locks, Nell gritted her teeth angrily and whipped the box at the wall. It clanked stridently and fell to the floor, not gaining even a scratch.

"AND _WHAT_ DO YOU SUPPOSE _YOU_ ARE DOING?" asked a loud, deep voice. It startled Nell and she whirled on her heel.

Nell met the face of Iracebeth, who had a stern look stretched across her face and her hand rested angrily on her tiny hips.

Nell fell to her knees, surprised beyond belief. She bowed her head, and knew that there was no escape now. From the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of the afternoon sun over the horizon. She had wasted the entire day.

"Majesty-,"

"QUIET!" Iracebeth hissed.

Iracebeth advanced on her, and locked her hands behind her as she walked. She circled the girl in a vulture-like way, taking her in as if she were an art piece. Only she was not looking at her with interest, she was looking at her with boiling, darting anger.

Nell remained silent and as still as a statue, knowing that saying one word would cost her life, She allowed the monarch to circle her, towering over her.

"Lady Nell," began Iracebeth lowly. "How clever you must think you are."

Iracebeth then reached out a pale hand, and laid it across the girl's cheek in a painful slap. Nell did not even flinch, she just accepted the slap. She did place her palms flat on the floor, and leaned onto them a bit, to steady herself if she were to receive another strike.

The queen had never hit her before. She had often scolded her, and had even thrown things at her, but never once had laid a wrong finger on her. On many occasions she had witnessed her slap Stayne around, but that had been that for the slapping.

She was now her next victim.

"Insubordinate, intolerant, ignorant, little BITCH!" Iracebeth screeched. "I OUGHT TO HAVE YOUR HEAD!"

Nell swallowed hard. "If it would please Your Majesty," she replied softly.

Iracebeth answered with a low chuckle. "We are beyond your petty display of loyalty." she commented. "Don't you think?" she asked in a childish tone.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Iracebeth laid another hand to her face.

"For the past six years, I have clothed you, fed you, protected you, forgiven you for your stubbornness and allowed you to romp around _my_ castle as if you were born to be here, and _THIS_ is how you show your gratitude?!" Iracebeth asked loudly, gesturing to the box on the floor.

Nell froze. She didn't dare breathe too much.

Iracebeth reached down, took hold of Nell's arms angrily, hoisted her to her feet, and pinned her violently against the hearth. The girl cried out.

"You have been nothing but a thorn in my side since Alice returned," she informed her nastily. She huffed an angry breath. "I _will not_ allow the ongoings of a mere _peasant_ girl ruin my great kingdom!"

Iracebeth whipped Nell away from the hearth, and holding so tight to the girl's arm, began to drag her down the hall. As short as she was, Nell had a difficult time staying on her feet as she was dragged and she stumbled often. Iracebeth cared not for the girl's welfare. She dragged her down every stairwell until they reached the top of the second floor. There, Iracebeth wailed the girl across the face once more, a scarlet streak of blood pouring from her nose. Nell fell upon the ground and she spat blood everywhere. Iracebeth hissed, reached down, took hold of her ear, and continued to drag her violently down to the first floor.

Nell put up no fight. Her body was much bigger than the queen's and she didn't want to risk anything further.

Stayne happened to be standing outside of the throne room and his jaw fell agape when he took notice of the queen.

With every fiber of strength in her, Iracebeth thrust Nell forward onto the ground before Stayne.

"I found the turncoat," she barked. "Kill her, Stayne!"

Nell gasped.

Stayne's eye met Nell's and his heart dropped immediately.

"Majesty, I _refuse_ to harm a mere child," Stayne replied firmly.

Iracebeth's cheeks flushed bright red. "You're useless, Ilosovic Stayne!" Her eyes flashed and she half-smiled evilly. "If _you_ will not do it, perhaps I shall do it MYSELF!" she yelled. She whipped a hand over to Stayne, drawing his sword from his sheath. She pushed Stayne with a might, and it knocked him over.

She held the tip of the sword to Nell's nose. She began to draw back slowly.

Nell clasped her eyes tightly. _This is it_ , she thought.

Before Iracebeth had a chance to strike, her ankle gave out with the weight of Stayne's foot slamming into hers, and she dropped the sword. Iracebeth fell hard to the ground and began to scream in a rage. Stayne gathered his wits enough to hoist Nell to her feet and advise her to run. She did so.

He would not lay a bad finger on the queen, but he was not afraid to restrain her. He straddled her, pinning her wrists to the floor as she kicked and tossed underneath her. She began spitting orders and claiming that she would have his head if he did not remove himself from her. As he struggled to keep a hold on the queen, he hoped Lady Nell had enough sense to run from the castle.

"Guards!" Stayne bellowed.


	12. The Trusted One

Nell had had it in her mind to, once again, escape the kingdom of red and black and head for Marmoreal. Stupidly, as soon as Stayne had the queen in a hold, Nell had run as fast as her weak legs could carry her to her chambers, with a mind to fetch the diary. She thought if she had showed it to the queen that she would be able to make some sort of amends with the woman, but all was lost when she tripped running up the stairs. She then tried to crawl up the remainder of the staircase, only to be too slow and be restrained by red knights.

She attempted to fight, but to no avail. Two knights held her arms, as she kneeled on her knees, and the vicious Number One forced a small vile of bright blue liquid down her throat. At first she spit some of it on him, but he took hold of her face and clenched her jaws shut.

Nell immediately recognized the taste. It was a taste she somehow remembered but had no clue where she had tasted it.

Her eyes became heavy and before she had a chance to wriggle, her head fell and she was fast asleep.

Some hours later, her eyes opened slowly.

Her cheek was pressed against a cold stone floor, her body sprawled in all directions. She licked her lips when she came to and could taste blood. The smell in the air was dank and it was rather chilly. Nell hadn't to think twice about where she was.

The dungeon.

The Red Queen had locked her in the dungeon.

Peeling herself from the stone floor, she came to find that every inch of her body ached. In a matter of a day and a half she had been beaten, slapped, threatened with weapons, and screamed at many times. She recalled the taste of the blue liquid the knights had given her, and she shook her head in dismay.

She got herself into a sitting position and scanned the room. There no proper light available save for the one window that was in her cell, all the way at the back of the room. When she looked out, four cells lined each of the walls, and the large wooden door at the opposite end of the room was shut and locked. She took hold of the metal bars. She gave them a slight shake, and knew instantly that they couldn't be bested.

"Downal wyth bluddy behg hid," she said to herself. "Downal with you, your evil cards, and this bloody kingdom!" she hissed as she slapped the bars with her palm.

Her mind brought her to the White Queen. She was into sorcery and magic, and she wondered if there was any possible way that she could hear her, or even see her from Marmoreal. If so, surely she would find a way to rescue her.

Nell got to her feet and began to pace.

She traipsed back-and-fort for hours, going over every detail of her cell, contemplating if there was any chance of escape. She came to the conclusion that there would be no escaping.

Until, that was, later that evening, Stayne came into the dungeon.

"Lady Nell," he whispered as he kneeled beside the cell. The girl had been bunched in a fetal position, sleeping with her back against the wall. When she raised her head, Stayne took notice of the dried blood on her face. "You look awful," he commented sadly.

Nell grunted. "Easy for you to say. What is to become of me? Am I to lose my head?"

"Although it did seem that way for a while," Stayne explained, "we have managed to slip the queen something to…" he paused. "Make her sleep."

Nell stiffened. "You've poisoned her?" Not that she really cared at this point.

"No, no, it is a potion composed of holistic herbs and some magic dust the queen's physician whipped up. It is, simply, to calm the nerves and make her sleep off her anger."

Stayne met Nell's questioning gaze, and reached a hand into his doublet. He pulled a small silver key from within his chest plate, and stuck it into the lock.

"You were foolish to return," he informed her. "You are to go to Marmoreal, and stay there."

At the mention of Marmoreal, Nell immediately remembered the scroll the White Queen had given her. Her eyes lit up with a certain fire in them and she leaned on the door to the cell.

"Stayne, the White Queen gave me a scroll to give to Her Majesty," Nell explained. "She said it will ensure my safety. I had it tucked in my corset when I returned and I forgot to give it to you."

Stayne unlocked the cell and opened the door.

"I must give Her Majesty the scroll!" Nell interjected.

"You mustn't do anything except mount your mare and go to Marmoreal," Stayne replied. "I shall admit that my heart holds a special place for you, and I cannot bear to see you be killed. Nell, please, you must run."

She got to her feet and wandered out of the cell.

Nell's stubbornness began to take over. "I have to get that scroll, Stayne. It's the only thing that will ensure my survival, even if I am to leave court forever." She picked up the hem of her gown and went to storm for the door, when Stayne reached out and grabbed her arm.

He whirled her around so he could look her in the face. "If the queen sees you about the castle, we are both dead. The potion we gave her could ware off anytime. If you desire the scroll so badly, I will fetch it and give it to the queen by my personal hand, but for now, you _must_ be going."

Nell looked into Stayne's eye and seemed to get lost in the blackness of it. She threw her arms around the man and he held her tenderly for a few moments.

"You've been too kind to me all these years, Ilosovic Stayne," she chided softly. "It is a kindness that I shall keep with me until the end of Time."

Stayne released her and took her face in his hands. A single tear fell from her eye and began to travel down her cheek. "You are like the daughter that I know I can never have. I cannot spare myself from the Red Queen's clutches, but if I can save you, then so I shall."

Stayne then led her from the dungeon, up the spiral staircase to the main floor. The red knights were busy with their guard duties, and he was aware that there were none in the castle at the moment. The only ladies that remained at court were seeing to the queen. Stayne removed the black hooded cloak that he was wearing, and he draped it over her. He pulled the hood over her head and tucked her matted ginger curls beneath it. It was a precaution taken in case anyone's eyes felt the need to wander over Nell's figure.

The pair then exited the castle via the door behind the throne in the throne room, and Stayne motioned Nell to crouch between two rose bushes while he scoped out the stables. Nell waited patiently, wrapped in the cloak. Nell's eyes wandered over the mountains off in the distance, the sun was beginning to descend below them, and she began to feel empty inside. Was she to ride to Marmoreal to find the White Queen disappointed in her?

Stayne returned after a few minutes, leading Nell's saddled mare.

Nell exited the bushes and went to Stayne, who lifted her up into the saddle and even put her feet in the stirrups for her. The girl muttered something about being sore, and then slumped forward in the saddle to balance her weight.

Stayne reached into his belt and drew a small, ruby-handled dagger. He took hold of her hand and placed the handle into it.

"Take this as a small token of my concern for your safety," he bade. He reached a tender hand up and ran a gloved finger through one of her curls. "You must ride, Lady Nell," he said softly. He took hold of the mare's reins, and Nell tucked the dagger to her person to conceal it.

As they crossed over the moat, and onto the drawbridge, Stayne whacked the horse with his hand. The beast cried out and broke into a hard gallop. He stood, hand on his sword, and observed as the Lady Nell and her mare shrunk into a midnight blob that hauled across the horizon.


	13. The Unknowing Monarch

Iracebeth moaned painstakingly as she forced her heavy eyes open. Her head felt heftier than usual and her body was as stiff as a board. Tiredness pulsated through her entire being and she felt as if she had been lying down for weeks.

"Majesty," came a soft whisper from her bedside.

Iracebeth blinked a few times, and then slowly turned her head. Why, Dahlia was standing at her bedside, she was wringing out a soaked cloth in a tub of cool water. With a sense of care that bordered on insolence, Dahlia began to dab her large forehead with the cool cloth. Iracebeth flinched when the water touched her pale skin, but the sensation was a relaxing one. Her forehead felt overheated and the coolness of the cloth was welcomed heavily.

"Dahlia," Iracebeth whispered to the dark haired woman. "I thank you."

"Anything for Your Majesty," Dahlia replied, continuing to bathe the queen's face.

Dahlia knew that she had practically abandoned Lady Nell, but such was for her own good. Had she been caught in-action with Lady Nell, who knew what might have happened. She had decided to keep herself away, appearing as if she had not known of Nell's plans to storm the queen's chambers in search of the diary key. Luckily, even though Lady Nell had been caught, and had taken quite the beating from the queen, as Stayne had reported to her, Dahlia was still unsuspected so she would be accessible to free Nell from the dungeon.

But Stayne had beaten her to it, thankfully.

Now she found herself in a tight squeeze as she played the part of not knowing of Nell's return.

"Any news?" Iracebeth asked lowly.

"Concerning what, Your Majesty?" Dahlia asked.

Iracebeth grunted tiredly. "Anything." She turned her blurry gaze out her balcony doors, to see the sun lowering over the horizon. The last thing she remembered was lying beneath Stayne as he restrained her. In any other situation, lying beneath Stayne's muscular body would have been a pleasurable situation, but their last encounter had not been one bit.

It had all been over that turncoat girl.

That annoying, stubborn, little speck of flesh and ginger hair.

 _I ought to have her killed_ , Iracebeth thought to herself as she gazed out the balcony. _No one lives to defy me._

"Alas, I have nothing to report, Majesty," Dahlia replied softly. She was lying, but she was convinced that the queen was too lethargic to realize that.

"Figures," Iracebeth interjected flatly, "nothing interesting ever happens these days."

Iracebeth then ordered Dahlia to help her out of bed. Dahlia took hold of the queen's hands and helped her to her feet. The monarch staggered immediately as her feet touched the ground, and Dahlia steadied her. Dahlia swept away to the closet, fetched the queen's favorite gown, and helped her into it. Shen then sat her at her vanity and pinned any unruly curls into her large updo while the queen fixed her face makeup.

Iracebeth's eyes wandered over Dahlia's reflection in the mirror. She had to admit that the woman was rather beautiful without her faux ears on. For a moment she wished she could as physically appearing as every other woman in Underland. Dahlia may have participated in a gambit with the other members of the court, but she had always been the most obedient, and she had a special place in Iracebeth's heart.

"What of the Frabjous Day, Majesty?" Dahlia asked as she placed a crimson curl in place and pinned it there.

Iracebeth grunted rudely. "Alice is no match for my Jabber-baby-wocky," she blurted obnoxiously, her true personality flooding back into her exhausted person. "We shall find ourselves victorious," she chided haughtily.

Iracebeth then flung herself out of her chair with a burst of energy, then hurriedly walked from her chambers, slamming the door behind her.

She went immediately to the throne room. Considering that the Frabjous Day was three days away, she figured it only appropriate to see to other stately duties whilst she was forced to wait. She plopped down in her throne, called in what little court she had left, and asked any affairs be presented.

Firstly, there was a kingdom-wide dispute concerning the welfare and wrath of two families; The Hornbacks and the Bellis (pronounced "Bellies,"). It was a dispute that stretched over many years in Underland, and recently, it had become a violent one. Each family had its own supporters, and no one was quite sure what had stirred up such a dispute, but it had partaking for so long that no one questioned, they just assumed which family would take victory.

A frogman approached the monarch with a document written on behalf of the kingdom of Witzend, where the Belli family had resided for as long as she could remember. According to the scrawling, the Hornbacks had staged an ambush on the Bellis oldest son, which partook in the Witzend town square, and ended in the bloodshed of innocent Underlanders and half of the buildings being burnt to the ground. It had been a mini war, and it was anticipated to continue, and the people of Witzend wanted it stopped.

Iracebeth sighed heavily. She knew well of both families. Mistress Hornback had been in her mother's court for many years. She never got to know the woman on a personal level, but she remembered the heavy impact her presence had on her mother. The Hornback family reared from a section of Underland, which was now Marmoreal.

The Bellis, however, had been permanent residents of Witzend, dating back to before Iracebeth's grandmother had ruled as queen. In fact, Iracebeth had romped around in the garden at the castle at Witzend with their youngest daughter, Emberess, was her name, as she recalled.

Iracebeth took hold of the quill that was presented to her and sighed deeply. She pondered for a second, the tip of the quill pressed to her lips in thought, then, she began to scrawl.

 _By order of the Red Queen of Underland, your constant shenanigans are ordered to be halted immediately. Any insubordinance will be punishable by execution._

She then signed her name, and shooed the frogman off.

Just then, Stayne slipped in through the back door, and kissed the queen's forehead.

"Ah, there you are," Iracebeth remarked.

"Apologies, Majesty," said Stayne. "I was checking on the status of the Jabberwocky."

"And how is my baby-wocky?"

"As ferocious as can be," Stayne replied in a smooth tone.

Content, Iracebeth nodded. News of her favorite creature was pleasurable to hear, no matter the state of it.

The onlookers, which were three frogmen, a fishman, and a new dormouse she had hired on, stood silently in a line, none of them eager to speak for any reason. Their stares began to irritate her and she told them to go away, which they all did happily.

"What of the turncoat?" Iracebeth asked Stayne.

Stayne, knowing that the queen would be asking, stiffened. "Asleep," he replied. "The potion you ordered her is still in strong effect." He had mastered lying to the queen well after many years.

Iracebeth cackled loudly. "Good. We shall punish her after Alice is destroyed."

She asked Stayne to join her in the garden.

They walked side-by-side amongst the vast variety of rose bushes and humming fountains. The garden held an essence of beauty in its natural state, and a peace that could not be obtained anywhere else in Salazen Grum, thus making it Iracebeth's favorite place to wander, to think, to play croquet. She hardly ever went into the garden with company, and if she did, it was either with Stayne or Dahlia.

Stayne fingered a vibrant rose as Iracebeth paced behind him. He began to wonder if Lady Nell had made it safely to Marmoreal. Last he knew, the queen had sent out a group of soldiers to scope out the Outlands for supporters of Alice, so she could bring them into custody, if anything were to catch Nell, it would be that group.

Stayne deeply hoped not.

The White Queen would see to it that she was well protected, and would possibly conceal her until Frabjous Day was over. He had not a clue as to who would reign victorious on Frabjous Day, both sides were weighed heavily, and it was rumored that Alice was a fearsome fighter. The Jabberwocky had claws of steel, strong jaws, and its size was significant, however, Alice would bear the Vorpal Sword, which had been crafted and enchanted for the sole purpose of slaying the great beast. It would be an interesting battle.

"Curse this infernal wait for the Frabjous Day!" hissed Iracebeth. She batted a rose with her palm, and its petals shook loose and sprawled on the ground at her feet. "I want to get it over with and resume to rule over my sister!"

Stayne rolled his eye. The queen's impatience grew annoyingly on him, and he was growing tired of having to listen to her constant whiny drawling.


	14. On A Stormy Night

It poured harder that it had in a long while later that night. As Nell rode along, the clear evening sky had darkened, clouds had appeared and it was raining something terrible. The air, once warm and comfortable, had crisped with a chill.

Nell struggled to remain on the mare. She hugged the saddle with her thighs with all her might, her sore legs dangling weakly in the stirrups. She had taken to leaning forward, resting herself to the back of the mare's neck, her hands buried deeply into the midnight mane as she held on for dear life. Soon the mare clattered noisily over the marble drawbridge and she inhaled deeply. The cloak Stayne had wrapped her in was black velvet, and it had become overbearingly heavy, as it was soaked with rain drops.

The mare took it upon herself to slow to a canter as she rounded under the front gate, and into the courtyard entrance. At the bottom of the entrance hall stairs, the mare slid to a subtle stop. She tossed her head and whinnied loudly. She, too, was as soaked and as uncomfortable as her rider.

On the balcony above the front courtyard, Tarrant Hightopp exited from the castle, and put his hat on his head. He went to the railing, and putting his hands over his eyes to shield them from the downpour, peered downward.

"Oi! You there!" he said aloud, his voice seemed to echo off the rain as it fell.

The mare screamed again, tossing her head.

"What's your business?" Tarrant demanded from above, his thick Scottish accent beginning to pop.

Suddenly, two lunar refractors, perched on the top of the castle's battlements, flickered on. The White Queen had enchanted them to use moonlight as a light source for scouting the exterior of the castle in the dead of night. The horse below began to dance impatiently and gave another cry. In the bright luminance of the lunar refractors, Tarrant's eyes beheld the rider as they sat up into a sitting position. A creamy hand reached to the hood on their head, and dropped it. The rider then slumped forward in the saddle, their face buried in the back of the mare's neck. Tarrant felt a sick feeling grow in his pit as his eyes beheld the familiar ginger curls of Nell Cerise escape from under the hood, and tumble down the mare's side.

Tarrant whipped his head and peered into the tea room, where Mallymkun, the Tweedles, Bayard and his family, Alice, Thackery, Cheshire and the White Queen were all looking at him with question in their eyes.

"Majesty!" Tarrant called in to her. "We have company!"

It wasn't but a few moments when Nell heard the click-clatter of boots hurrying across the marble courtyard, the sound practically drowned out by the rain. She released her reins and they moved upward on the mare's neck and dangled about the animal's head.

"Oh, Nell, you poor darling!" cried out the voice of the White Queen worriedly.

Tarrant went to Nell, took hold of her, slid her from the horse's back and held tight to her.

Mirana, caring not one tad about the soaking chilly rain, placed a hand to the girl's forehead. "She's weak," she told Tarrant. "Take her inside." She grabbed a hold of the black mare's bridle, and picking up her skirts in her hands, began to jog the drenched animal across the courtyard and into the stable. She ordered the mare be given the best treatment to a handful of her stable hands, and proceeded to flood into the castle herself.

Tarrant had taken Nell to the apothecary room that was in an alcove off of the queen's spell room. He gently laid her on the freshly made bed, and began to strip her of her soaked gown. By this time, weak and chilly, Nell had fallen unconscious. Everyone crowded around her, biting their lips nervously.

"What can I do to help, Hatter?" Alice asked Tarrant.

"Boots," Tarrant replied as he pulled at Nell's corset strings. "Take them off her."

Alice immediately dropped to her knees and began to fiddle with the laces. She discovered that Nell's feet were so wet they were wrinkled when she managed to slide the boots off her. Alice then set the boots beside the hearth, where Thackery and Mallymkun worked together to spark a fire.

Mirana came rushing into the room, then, her own gown damp and trailing water droplets behind her.

Tarrant had just managed to slip the girl from the outer layers of her gown when Mirana appeared at his side.

Mirana traced a finger over the girl's clammy skin, down her neck, over her thin collar bones, and she was just about to poke into the top of her underdress when she turned to the group.

"Thank you all, so very much," she said seriously. "But I shall take it from here."

Everyone then dispersed, each one just as worried as the last.

Mirana set to work. She laid out the soaked clothes before the fire, boots and all. She then found her a dry night gown to slip the girl into. As she pulled the wet underdress over Nell's head, her naked body all exposed, Mirana couldn't help but notice the dark bruising that lined Nell's sides. Gasping, she touched a bruise gingerly.

"Iracebeth," she hissed under her breath. There was no other explanation.

She then dressed the girl, and tucked her into the bed. She noted the discoloration around Nell's eyes and around her lips. Symptoms of ailment were evident, and the girl looked as if she could die at any given moment.

Not on Mirana's watch.

Hurrying into the spell room, she heated up a boiling brewing cone, and gathered her ingredients. She whipped open the spell book she used for practically everything and hastily went through it until her eyes met the title of her desired spell.

"Jollyjuice Potion," she read aloud. "To cure ailments and promote happiness."

Her pale hand found the first ingredient, petals from a poppy. Next came four spoonfuls of wishful thinking, a handful of nuts from the branches of a tugley tree, an eyelash from Mirana's own eye, a hair from a March Hare, and finally, a big glob of Mirana's saliva. She mixed the potion intently as she hummed a song she had heard her mother sing may years previous.

Jollyjuice Potion was a very rare potion to find in Underland, unless one was to take up spellcraft and brew it themselves. There were few who bottled and sold it on the streets, but those who did became wealthy, as Jollyjuice was the number-one cure for any depression, case of what Underlanders called "the normals," and the harshest sicknesses. It was a drug all its own.

A drug that would work miracles on Nell.

Mirana gently poured a spoonful of the steaming potion into the girl's mouth and patted her on the head. She then took a while to bathe Nell's face in warm water as she slept. What little bit of life was left in the girl would soon replenish and Mirana anticipated that she'd join them on Frabjous Day.

She then went to the main sitting room, across from the throne room, where she found Alice sitting cross-legged on the settee, a book in one hand, cup of tea in the other.

"How is she?" Alice asked when she heard Mirana approach. She did not lift her eyes from her book.

"She's expected to make a full recovery," Mirana said as she took a seat across from Alice. "It seems my sister has mistreated her."

Alice grunted. "Even the blindest of mice could see that," she torted.

What an odd thing to say, in Mirana's point of view. She had never recalled seeing any blind mice anywhere in the kingdom, and she wondered why Alice would presume a mouse to be blind in the first place.

Mirana gave a deep sigh. "Not only mentally, but physically, as well."

Alice lowered her book and shot a look at Mirana, one of her brows quirked in an odd fashion. "Physical abuse?" she asked.

"Indeed."

"How do you know it was not her guards? Or Stayne?"

"I just _know_ ," Mirana replied, referring to her overactive intuition. "Besides, Iracebeth was always fond of the violent way of getting things done."

Alice sipped her tea then ran her finger along the rim of her teacup. She had the weight of having to slay the Jabberwocky on her shoulders, along with everyone in Underland counting on her to agree to be the White Champion, and, now, she felt as if she owed an obligation to Nell. Everything was happening so quickly and she felt suffocated.

"That poor girl," Alice commented, thinking of Nell's face, "alone with no true family in the world."

Mirana felt a bubble of guilt rise in her, but subdued it. There were things she knew, things that she had vowed to never speak of when she was coronated.

"She claims she doesn't have a past," Alice added.

"A most unfortunate circumstance," Mirana replied.

"We have to help her," Alice said, sobbing. A tear fell down her cheek. "We have to help everyone."

"And we will, the moment you take the life of the Jabberwocky," Mirana said. Putting pressure on Alice would persuade her into agreeing to be the White Champion, or, at least, that's what Mirana thought. The girl had exhibited on many occasions that she did not trust herself completely, as she had even forgotten who she really was when she had returned to Underland. She hadn't remembered a thing and had wandered about claiming everything in Underland was a dream.

Alice then got on her feet and hurried from the room, wiping tears on her sleeve.

Mirana sighed and placed her face in her palms. Moments passed and she rose from the chair, heading toward her chambers to bathe her chilly body.

The water of the bath she sat in was warm and calmed her into a state where all she could do was allow herself to soak.

In a clean nightshift, carrying a lit candelabrum, for it was late into the night, Mirana stepped lightly through the castle and went to the apothecary. She found Lady Nell still asleep, and in the firelight, Mirana noted the color had returned to the maiden's face. She pressed her palm to the girl's forehead; whatever illness she had had broken and she felt regulation in the temperature in her skin.

The Jollyjuice would not only cure her illness, it would also take care of the bruising on her middle.

Fearing to leave Lady Nell alone, Mirana pulled up a teal blue recliner and plopped in it. She placed her feet up on the end of the bed and allowed her body to sink into the deepness of sleep.


	15. A Small Bond

Nell found it beyond difficult to pull herself from the deep sleep that withheld her. Her body heavy, yet felt nonexistent, as if she had no real feeling left in the material world, and she wandered forever inside the dream dimension.

 _She was walking slowly down a hall at Salazen Grum. Her gait was slow, and she paused for a moment after each step, as if possessed. She held a crimson satin sheet around her, which hardly concealed her pale skin, for it was merely only half the size of her. She wore nothing but the sheet. Her hair was extremely long and hung just above her buttocks. On her head, was a small gold crown._

 _Indistinct voices could be heard in the background, but they were rushed and mumbled and were not understandable. They had a very intriguing effect._

 _The walls that surrounded her then began to drip blood, pooling streams of crimson in the cracks of the stone, running down and soaking the pads of her bare feet. Soon she trailed along, blood up to her knees, but she displayed not a care._

 _Violent rumbling began to erupt and the castle walls began to crumble as…_

"Nell!" hissed a loud voice.

Nell whipped her eyes open quickly. He vision distorted due to such heavy sleeping, she could make out the silhouette of the White Queen at the end of her nose.

"Nell?" Mirana asked quietly. She had the girl lifted off the bed, and she had her propped up by the back of her neck. She pushed a red curl from Nell's face and stared directly into her bright green eyes. "You were thrashing about, my dove. Are you well?"

Nell flinched and took a deep breath as her vision cleared. "Dream," she stated simply. "Just another bad dream."

Mirana helped slide her into an upright siting position.

"Care to speak about your night terrors?" asked Mirana.

Nell shook her head. "There's no point in it. Besides, you have a Frabjous Day to prepare for," she said selflessly.

With that, Mirana aided to the girl to her feet and dressed her in a loose white gown. She asked her no questions of her bruising, nor of what had happened at Salazen Grum. She just chattered away about Alice's busy schedule of training to take on the Jabberwocky. She gave Nell permission to do whatever she wished in the kingdom, and after coming to the conclusion that the Jollyjuice had indeed worked, she tootled off, leaving Nell to her own thoughts.

She was standing in the immense mirror in the apothecary, running a white brush through her curls. Stayne had rescued her, set her free. An opportunity to give him proper thanks would surely arise after Frabjous Day.

She went to the kitchen, where a sweet courtier named Charlotte served her hot tea and as many warm cherry tarts as her heart desired. Not used to eating food that wasn't exotic, she savored every flake of the tarts until she could eat no more. She thanked Charlotte sweetly, then wandered off to find the Hatter.

Tarrant was busy sewing away in the White Queen's tailoring room. He had his tongue pressed to the side of his mouth in a goofy fashion as he worked at constructing a breathable undergarment for Alice to wear underneath her champion armor.

"Ah, you're alive!" he squeaked when he saw her lingering in the doorway. He swiped the undergarment from the machine and held it up for her to see. "Well?" he asked.

The fabric was very light and breathable. It was a combination of an undershirt and attached shorts, something Alice could easily slide into.

"It's perfect," remarked Nell with a smile. "Like everything you create."

Tarrant gave a high-pitched giggle, and clapped his hands like an excited child. "Wondrous!" he cried.

Nell giggled along with him.

Bayard strode into the room, Mallymkun perched on the back of his neck.

"What's all the fuss?" Mally asked.

"Hatter is finishing Alice's armor," Nell chirped.

The suit of armor Alice was to adorn during the battle was poised in the corner of the room, the gauntlets extended upward, holding the Vorpal Sword. It was without doubt the shiniest suit of armor Nell had ever laid eyes on, and the sight of it all complete gave her a sense of comfort and warmth. Only a true Champion such as Alice deserved to dawn such a beautiful suit.

"It's absolutely grand," Nell said, overlooking the details carved into the chest plate. "The Red Queen has nothing of this sort in her castle."

"That's because she believes the Jabberwocky is invincible and does not require proper coverage," rang out the voice of Mirana from the doorway. She held her hands in the airy way she always did, and she was grinning hugely. She swept across the room to Nell's side. "Little does she know of the Vorpal Sword's _true_ power."

"It's enchanted," boasted Tarrant.

"Why, yes, indeed it is, Tarrant!" Mirana cheered subtly. "Enchanted by the first Queen of Underland, my great-great-grandmother, Queen Rosalind of Witzend. Not only was she a remarkable Queen, but also a renowned sorceress. It was her who inspired me to study magick in the first place."

"What about your sister?" asked Nell.

Mirana sighed gently, not too deep. "Iracebeth preferred to study Dominion over Living Things. It's a form of dark magick that can be used to overtake the mind and turn even the strongest being into a _puppet_ , if you will. Such is why the Jabberwocky is under her command."

Nell gasped. She had heard the many stories of how the Jabberwocky had come to be, but here was the White Queen, giving her the utmost truth on the matter. The truth resembled none of the tales she had heard over the years. Everything made perfect sense all of a sudden. She wondered if Stayne, too, was under one of Iracebeth's spells. For all she knew, everyone in Salazen Grum could have been casted upon, herself included.

Nell leaned in closely to the White Queen. "Majesty, may I have a word… in private?"

"Of course," Mirana chirped.

Nell took Mirana's offered hand and the two went smoothly to the sitting room across from the throne room, where Mirana had spoken to Alice when Nell had been under. Once seated comfortably across from one another, Mirana called out for some tea, which was served in a jiffy.

Nell tossed a few sugar cubes into her tea and began to stir it. "I am sorry to report that I never had the chance to deliver your scroll to Her Majesty," she said, giving Iracebeth her title out of respect.

Mirana quirked a brow out of pure curiosity. She brought her tea to her lips as Nell cleared her throat.

"I was attacked the very minute I rode onto Salazen Grum property," she explained. She sipped her tea, never breaking eye contact with the pale monarch.

"Was that the cause of your bruises?" Mirana asked, surely thinking it had been Iracebeth herself who had wounded the girl.

"Partly."

"Partly?"

"Yes. Stayne rescued me from the guards before they had a chance to bludgeon me to death. When I awoke the Queen had taken Stayne and the rest of the court to see to the Jabberwocky, and I went to search for that bloody key. Well, the Queen returned early, discovered me in her chambers, and, well, gave me quite the wallop." Nell ran her fingers down her middle for emphasis.

Gasping out of being correct, Mirana gripped her teacup forcibly. "How did you manage to escape my sister?"

"She had the guards force this…awful tasting potion down my throat. When I came to, I was in the dungeon, and Stayne sprung me out and saw to it that I made it here."

Taken heavily by surprise, Mirana could not think of what to say. The two sat in silence as they sipped their tea and their eyes wandered about the room.

"You certainly are a tough young lady," Mirana commented. "In fact, after the Frabjous Day, I would be honored to have you in _my_ court."

Nell's bright eyes lit up and she gulped her tea excitedly. Making sure to keep the composure Dahlia had taught her to display before a monarch, she stiffened her posture and smiled. "I would be much honored, Majesty."

Nodding, Mirana reached a pale and over and took Nell's. "Although I cannot change the way my sister has treated you in the past, I certainly can make up for it. Yes, I believe you will make a fine addition to the family of Marmoreal. My ladies will take quite the liking to you, as I already have." Her eyes then averted to the large window behind Nell, and she scanned the horizon. It was well into the afternoon and she had much to do in preparation for the Frabjous Day, which was two days away. Last she had heard, Alice was in the courtyard with her trainer, Lord Tuppley, working on sharpening her sword skills. As much work as she had to do, she wished to show Nell something.

"Come," she cooed to Nell, gripping her hand lightly, "there is something I care to show you."

Nell followed the White Queen through the castle, out the front gate to the courtyard to a T intersection, where they took the left path. She led her down a decently long cobblestone footpath to a large stone tunnel. As they entered, Nell could see through the tunnel, which was built underneath a great waterfall. Not having the chance to explore the grounds, she took great joy in the sight and she stood for a few moments and placed her hand through the falls, the clear water running over her hand smoothly. Mirana giggled at the joy, and did the same.

Their journey continued through the tunnel, down a winding path, to a cliff edge, that was bordered by white iron fencing. Vibrant red roses grew upon the fence, entwining with the posts. Before the fence was a large stone statue of the Red Queen. Her stature was tall, proud, and demanded authority. The sight of the thing was so true to the Red Queen's personality that it sent shivers down Nell's spine.

"Isn't it beautiful?" asked Mirana.

"It is," replied Nell, "but, why do you have it?"

Mirana sighed heavily. "I feel as if it is the only piece of my sister I am meant to cherish. Considering that we've grown so apart." There was a touch of sadness in her voice. She lowered herself to her knees beside the base of the statue. She delicately plucked a rose from the fence and sniffed it.

Not wanting to pry, but yet, having a small desire to offer the White Queen some comfort, Nell asked: "Do you think, Majesty, that perhaps, after the Frabjous Day, things could be different?"

Mirana scoffed. A couple small tears escaped her eyes and ran down her cheeks. "Hardly. By the time Alice is done with her, the kingdom will practically beg me to have her killed."

"Could you?" Nell asked. "Could you truly murder your own blood?"

Knowing that the lack of a family life for Nell had caused her to be a tad nosey, Mirana forgave her internally and figured no harm could come of establishing a small emotional bond with the girl.

"It is against the vows I took at my coronation to harm any living creature," she explained. "Even if I were bound to no vows, no, I could not kill Iracebeth."

"Even after she has destroyed so much and taken the lives of so many?"

She wiped at her tears and turned to look Nell in the face. "No. Iracebeth has her reasons for being so… _wicked_. And it's all my fault!" she cried, throwing her face in her palms and beginning to weep.

Nell wrapped her arms around the White Queen and hummed to her until she began to calm down. When she was finished, she withdrew from Nell's hold and pulled out a kerchief. She blew her nose hardly and then dabbed her eyes, dark makeup running everywhere.

"Please excuse me for my overactive emotions, Lady Nell."

"Nonsense, Your Majesty. After being around your sister's constant jabbering and frequent yelling, a sorrowful monarch is rather _bittersweet_."

Mirana was very glad that Nell had not asked her why she blamed herself for Iracebeth's wickedness. That was a tale for another day.


	16. Final Preparations

With less than a day left until the Frabjous Day arrived, Marmoreal was bustling with busy Underlanders, all of which played their own specific role for the Frabjous Day. Nell quite didn't have a specific role to play, but the White Queen saw to it that she helped the others to the best of her ability.

Nell stood bedside Bayard, Cheshire, Mallymkun and the Tweedles as they witnessed Alice practicing her hand at sword play with the White Queen's Master at Arms, Lord Tuppley. He was a tall, lank man, who was gifted in sword fighting and self-defense. His hair was long and dark and during practice he kept it pinned to his head, to avoid any mishaps with his opponent's blade. He and Alice pranced about the courtyard, carefully hacking away at each other, their sword clanking together often.

Observing Lord Tuppley reminded Nell heavily of Stayne. She missed Stayne and the tender kindness he had always shown her, and she all but knew that the Red Queen was probably verbally abusing poor Stayne as she stood there in Marmoreal. Her heart wept a tad in a very silent manner.

As Alice and Lord Tuppley clinkered away, Nell sighed and turned her attention to the mountain of waterfalls to the left of the castle. As important as the death of the Jabberwocky was to all of Underland, she had to admit to herself that she was growing tired of the constant violence that somehow seeped into her every day. There had been loads of violent acts that took place on a daily basis in Salazen Grum, but at least in court she was away from all of it.

Now, having no court to conceal herself within, she felt more alone and drained than ever. The White Queen had spoken of accepting her into her court whence the Frabjous Day was over, but what if the Jabberwocky proved more successful than Alice? After all, he was a great beast, and she was just an unknowing Abovelander.

It would no doubt be an interesting battle, but a violent one, at that.

And what of Nell?

Was she to ride into battle alongside Alice and the White Queen, and risk putting herself into more danger of the Red Queen? If Alice failed, the Red Queen would certainly kill her. But if she succeeded, she anticipated living her life in the palace of white until the end of her days.

Just then, as she was lost in her thoughts, applause went up and she averted her gaze back to the practice.

Why, Lord Tuppley was laying upon the ground, a look of surprise spread up his face. Alice stood smiling, sword in hand. It was obvious that she had bested Lord Tuppley.

"Excellent, Alice!" Lord Tuppley cheered from the ground. He hopped back to his feet. "Your skills are strengthening quickly."

"All with your help," Alice chided with a smile.

Lord Tuppley raised his sword, pointing the tip at Alice proudly. "I believe young Alice is ready for the Frabjous Day."

Another applause, followed by some joyful giggles. Nell gleamed at Alice and winked at her.

Alice returned the wink, and then mentioned that she was hungry, and they all grouped and headed for the dining hall. Nell got caught up in a conversation with Lord Tuppley as they trailed behind the rest of the chattering group.

"They say you've witnessed the Red Queen's wrath first hand," he explained to her. He had seen her wandering about the castle the past couple days, yet he had never had a chance to speak to her.

Nell chuckled. "Is that so?" They rounded a corner and entered the great hall, which was lined with white knights. The queen had thickened her guard due to the fact it was so close to Frabjous Day. Nell eye's danced about the knights as they passed them. "Well, what _they_ say is correct. I have witnessed the turmoil of the Bluddy Behg Hid," she said, her tongue twisting in Outlandish, a language she had studied for years.

"And still you consider remaining loyal to her," he stated matter-of-factly.

Nell gasped loudly. "And _how_ could you possibly know _that_?" she demanded.

"I've seen how you poise yourself around the court," he replied as they halted before the doors to the throne room. "You know that deep in your heart, you feel you have an obligation to the Red Queen."

Nell couldn't believe what she was hearing. How right Lord Tuppley was! She may have been preoccupied helping out around the castle to prepare for the forthcoming battle, but the Red Queen's silent kindnesses she had shown her were embedded into the back of her memory. The kindnesses were few and far in between, but alas, they were there, they had existed. Such is why she had questioned the White Queen if she could truly murder Iracebeth.

There was something familiar in Lord Tuppley's dark eyes, and Nell felt drawn in by them. With her only being fourteen, and him in his late twenties, the way he seemed to approach her with his knowing vexed her. Again, she thought of Stayne.

"Your sense of loyalty is buried deep below the countless times she has disappointed you. You recognize that it's there, yet you're unsure of it." He reached atop his head, and let out his long, raven hair, and shook his head. "You cannot decide whether to remain loyal, or to take it elsewhere."

Nell raised a brow. "It's as if you know me," she told him. "How do you know all that?"

He smiled. "Simply because I've been in a similar situation with my own father. He left me and my mother when I was just a spud, yet, I still find myself questioning my loyalty to my mother's husband, and after all, my father is still my father."

Nell shook her head and stiffened. There was that unfamiliar mention of family she could not connect with. "It's a tad different with queens, I do so believe."

"Not particularly. It all comes down to the same decision. Remain with that which has been soiled, yet is familiar, or explore something anew."

Entering the dining hall, Lord Tuppley broke from her side and went to Tarrant, who was sitting at the end of the table beside Alice.

Nell took a seat beside Mallymkun and McTwisp.

Feeling rather prodded at, Nell remained quiet as the queen entered the room and sat in her usual seat at the head of the great table. Everyone gave her their undivided attention.

"Everyone," she began. "After all our hard work, I think it safe to say that we are prepared fully for the Frabjous Day."

Everyone looked at the being beside them and grinned hugely. All the hard work had paid off, and now, the only work that remained, was up to Alice.

A great feast of various meats, fruits, vegetables, sandwiches, puddings, and colorful deserts were dished out among the table. They all dug in immediately. Many conversations started up and whirled about the table, each conversation subjecting different than the last. Nell got caught up discussing life at Salazen Grum with McTwisp, Mally and Thackery. As the dinner progressed and she presumed to stuff herself full, she forgot about everything around her that didn't consist of anything that was at the table, neither being nor situation. The dinner had become a safe haven from her thoughts and she wished it would last forever.

Unfortunately, it could not.

The queen requested they all gather in the throne room, which they all did without question. She fell behind for a bit and spoke to Lord Tuppley.

Everyone gathered in the throne room and began to talk amongst themselves, as they had done pretty much all evening. Nell kept to herself, though.

Without any warning, the throne room doors busted open loudly, and the queen strode in, step-by-step. She held a certain hop to her gait and when she reached the center of the room, she threw a hand in the air and declared: "Play a Volta!"

Lord Tuppley, smiling from his place in the doorway, jogged across the room, where a phonograph sat idly. He began to crank it on, giggling as he maneuvered the crank, and loud, cheery ballroom music began to flood in the room.

The Queen let out a boisterous laugh.

She then began to take up flailing dance moves and began to dance about the throne room, her smile gleaming as she went. Soon they were all dancing, except for Nell, who stood leaning against a column, beside Alice, who didn't enjoy ballroom dancing much, either.

"What say you, Alice," asked Nell, "do you feel ready for tomorrow?"

Alice remained still as can be. She stared oddly into the sea of dancing Underlanders and sighed. "Not one bit," she replied. Even the music and happy room of people could not thrill her. "I've never slain anything, let alone a dragon."

Nell allowed her vision to get lost in the figures of Tarrant dancing with the Tweedles. Each Tweedle held a hand of Tarrant's and they whirled around in a linked circle. "The Jabberwocky is a great beast, no doubt," she told Alice, "but he's not very fast at maneuvering. His tail weighs as much as the rest of him and he uses it to balance." She recalled hearing the information from Stayne a couple of years back.

Alice fiddled with her white dress. "Thank you for that," she said. "I'm sure it will help me in the long run."

"Just kill the thing," Nell said flatly. She found that her mood was turning sour for some odd reason.

"I intend too," Alice interjected, not sounding very confident. She then mumbled something about needing rest and slipped from the throne room.

The queen had given Nell a small vial of Jollyjuice potion earlier that day. She pulled it from her corset, uncorked it, and swallowed the contents in one gulp. It occurred to her that it was more than probable that back in Salazen Grum, the Red Queen was probably having her own little preparation celebration, which, if Nell could guess, probably involved her having "private time" with Stayne. The thought caused her to shiver in disgust and she twisted her face for a moment.

The small ping of missing life in the Red Court then seemed to seep out of nowhere, and she wished, just for a moment, that Alice had stayed away from Underland and things never would have gone array. But if she had stayed away, Nell would have never gotten to meet the tender White Queen, or spend all the quality time with her friends. She may not have been in the proper mood for dancing, and she may have been missing Salazen Grum a bit, but the effect the presences of all her friends being about her was one that was cherished.

"Care not for dancing?" asked a smooth voice from the opposite side of the column.

Nell slowly turned her head and met the gaze of Lord Tuppley. "Just not in the mood," she stated in a flat voice. She honestly wasn't impressed by his presence and a part of her wanted to shoo him.

Lord Tuppley clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth. His gaze found Mirana among the busy dance floor, waltzing with Tarrant Hightopp. He gave a small half-smile and wished that the beautiful Lady Nell would dance with him. He could dance with any of the ladies of the court, but he had no true desire to, for he knew all of them, and he was curious about the maiden from the kingdom of red.

"Tomorrow shall dawn a new era for Underland," he said suavely, "and you are not 'in the mood,' to enjoy one last night in the good old here-and-now?"

Nell rolled her eyes. "No." She felt herself growing more tired by every minute that passed. "In fact, I think I shall retire."

Lord Tuppley decided that prying at the Lady Nell would come to no great deal, so he ceased to ask her any more questions. Instead, he plucked a small kiss on her hand, bade her goodnight, and stepped off into the crowd.


	17. Morning Glory

It was Frabjous Day.

Nell sighed deeply and threw her legs over the side of the bed. She had just awoken after a long night of deep sleep, and she felt groggy. She rubbed her eyes with her palms then directed her vision out the balcony doors. The sun had not yet risen, it was still quite dark. The grandfather clock in the corner of the guest chambers said it was only half-past five in the morning.

Everyone would surely still be sleeping, for the White Queen had instructed that they all gather in the dining hall at precisely half nine a.m. Disgusted with herself for retiring as early as she did, Nell threw herself backward on the bed and stared at the ceiling.

"Frabjous Day," she said aloud to herself.

Forcing herself to stand from the bed, she stretched. She then grabbed a towel and a simple white gown from her wardrobe and she snuck from her room.

The castle was dead silent. No torches were lit in the hallways, and the only sufficient light available was that from the moon, which lingered in the sky. It was close enough to dawn that instead of the castle being pitch black, it was bathed in a hue of dark blue and she could easily make out the shapes of things.

She went immediately to the washroom that was designed for the floor she slept on. She lit a few candles she found in a cupboard and placed them strategically about the room. As the bathtub drew water, she dug in the same cupboard until she found something interesting. As interesting as it would get was a small bottle of rose petals, which she crushed between her fingers and sprinkled them into her bath water. The aroma of roses filled the room, and as she lowered herself into the tub, she was taken aback to the garden at Salazen Grum.

She allowed herself to soak a good while until the water had grown cold. She slid into the simple white gown, and by the time she went about putting away the half-burnt candles, the sun began to make its entrance above the Marmoreal Mountains.

Feeling refreshed, she made her way to the first floor to discover the White Queen pacing at the bottom of the staircase.

"There you are," she commented as Nell descended the stairs. "I've been waiting for you."

"How did you know I was even awake?" Nell asked.

"I heard the bath water running."

Nell nodded in agreement and went to her side.

Mirana looked down at the front of her dress. "I…I have a gift for you." She took Nell's offered hand and led her into the tailoring room, where Alice's armor was being held. Mirana pushed open the doors, and, releasing Nell's hand, moved swiftly to a bookcase. She traced her fingers along the spines of the books until the pale finger tips touched an ice blue book. She took the book in her hand and pulled downward on it.

A sound resembling large clock gears turning began to fill the air, and the floor began to vibrate. In the dead center of the room, a floor tile slid open underneath another tile, and a large figurine of something covered in an old bed sheet slowly made it way up out of the floor. Nell smiled to herself, remembering all the neat secrets Salazen Grum castle held.

Once the floor had closed itself below the towering thing, Mirana went to it and took the sheet in her fist. She gave Nell a small smile, then gracefully pulled the sheet. It slid off whatever was underneath it and tumbled to the floor in a mess of white wrinkles.

There, poised on an armor rack, was a gallant suit of armor of red and black. The style of it was very similar to that of Alice's, only the colors and designs were different. A shiny black chest plate, decorated with a large heart in the center of it, etched deep into the metal, was the top to a crimson skirt, constructed of chainmail. The chainmail was very small and intricate, and resembled nothing metal-like unless one got really close to it.

Mirana sighed and placed a hand adoringly on the shoulder of the suit. "This was crafted for the Red Champion, many, many years ago," she explained. "Little did we all know that my sister would end up enlisting a beast, rather than a person."

"You wish to give this… to _me_?" Nell asked oddly.

Mirana nodded. "Indeed I do."

"But why?"

"Because of all the people I know who rear from Salazen Grum, you are the most deserving. You've dealt with more nonsense of my sister's in the past six years, than I have endured in my whole life. And _that_ makes you a _Champion_ in my eyes."

Nell had a hard time grasping what the queen was getting at. She stood, appalled, glaring at the suit of armor.

"You wish me to _wear_ this today?" Nell squeaked, pointing at the suit.

"I do."

She shook her head. "Forgive me, Majesty, but I do believe that you have vexed me. I do not understand your intentions," she admitted.

Mirana knew exactly why she wanted the girl to have the armor. "You feel as if you have a small…obligation to my sister, yes?"

As Lord Tuppley had said the night previous, Nell did feel obligated to the Rd Queen, for the sake of sparing her a life as a beggar on the streets. Her obligation was out of mere respect and thanks, not because she was attached to her in any way. She felt it proper to try and reimburse the Red Queen via servitude and loyalty, which the monarch had went and ruined for herself. She agreed to the White Queen's theory as she touched the chest plate of the armor.

"If you were to appear on the battlefield in this," Mirana spoke smoothly. She ran a palm over the cool surface of the chest plate. "No doubt my sister would notice it. It's a way of catching her attention, making her realize that maybe….. just maybe you could possibly still feel obligated to her. A way of forgiving her indirectly, if you will."

Nell scoffed, trying not to be too rude. "What if I do not wish to forgive her?"

"Ah! But _that_ is where it will all play out. Iracebeth will accept any loyalty she can get these days, even if it is as simple as a symbolic suit of armor."

"So…I am to wear the armor to fool Iracebeth into _thinking_ that I secretly am rooting for her?"

"Precisely."

"And this will help us win, how?"

"It will relieve Alice of some of my sister's attention, even just a tad. Iracebeth will not be able to focus completely on Alice, therefore she won't have as much magickal control over the Jabberwocky, as magick requires total concentration, and Alice will have the chance to gain the upper hand."

Nell nodded vigorously. It was all a mind game. Now she understood. "I am meant to be a distraction."

"Yes!" Mirana chided. "A very noble job, if you ask me."

Nell withdrew her hand from the suit and shrugged. "If it helps Alice, then why not?"

Mirana clasped her hands together excitedly. "Excellent! Now, I do ask that you see to your horse before you change into the armor. Give your steed a touch of the Red Kingdom; I want Iracebeth's eyes to see you before she sees Alice. Lord Tuppley is in the stables now, and he has everything you will need."

Mirana then shooed her to the stables, where she went directly.

It was eight a.m. by this time. The journey to the battlefield was to begin at eleven, so she had to get moving, for now she had her own armor to show off. She caught her mare and tied her in the saddling area. She was extra cautious about making sure that, as she groomed her, there was not a speck of dirt anywhere on the animal. Coat as shiny as a raven's wing, Nell took a good look at the mare's long mane. She then went to the tack room and searched the entirety of the room for something that resembled the Red Queen.

Surprisingly, she discovered a roll of red ribbon tucked in the back of a shelf.

 _Perfect!_ She thought.

She began by plaiting the mare's mane. She wove the vibrant ribbon into the plaits and created a perfect bow at the base of the animal's neck. She also tied a large ribbon bow into the tail.

As she was on her knees, filing the edges of the mare's hooves so they were even, a pair of striding boots came up behind her. She looked over her shoulder to notice Lord Tuppley approaching. He was carrying something in his arms.

"Fine animal you have there," he commented.

Nell got to her feet and rubbed her knees. "Thank you."

He smiled slyly. "Her Majesty requested that I give this to you." He then unfurled the fabric he was carrying. He spread it out to reveal that it was a warhorse caparison, crimson, adorned with black hearts. Nell gasped at the sight of it. She had only seen a caparison on Stayne's warshire, but never on any other mount in Underland.

"It was meant for the steed of the Red Champion. Considering that you're the closest thing that horrible big-head will ever have to an _actual_ Champion, the White Queen is proud to present it to you."

Completely taken by shock, and unable to speak, Nell took the caparison from him and slid it over the mare's back. The horse stood perfectly still as Nell buckled it around the base of her neck. She then stood back to admire the animal.

She looked like a Warshire.

A grand Warshire, at that.

Feeling a new sense of pride, Nell asked Lord Tuppley to feed the horse for her. He agreed happily and Nell went back to the castle.

Everyone grouped in the dining hall, and breakfast was set out.

From her seat, the White Queen cleared her throat, catching all eyes. Alice sat at the opposite end of the table. She appeared bright-eyed and bushy tailed, but Nell knew that Alice had to be nervous. She had been well prepared in all aspects of going to battle, but her attitude was probably not quite egotistic yet, there were layers of uncertainty under that outer appearance of faux pride.

The White Queen raised her silver goblet, and the rest did the same.

"To Alice," she cheered softly. "To our beloved _Champion._ May you usher in an era of peace in Underland with your great doing!" And with that, she placed the goblet to her darkly painted lips, threw back her head, and downed the contents in one swig.

"To Alice!" everyone said in unison.

Nell sipped the cherry-flavored ale lightly. She, too, was nervous. The White Queen had put a very risky feat on her shoulders, and she was unsure of how she would perform. She had no issue with standing up to the Red Queen, but the woman could have her killed right on the battlefield. Not from Stayne, though, she was sure of that. Stayne would not lay a bad finger on her.

The Red Queen, though, would not have an issue giving her another good wallop.

As much food as Nell placed on her plate, she hardly touched it. She picked at it, taking nibbles here-and-there, and she pushed it around with her fork for the majority of the meal.

Tarrant was sitting beside her, enjoying his tea with a smirk, when he noticed her disdain for food. Even Alice was busy eating a healthy amount.

"Now, why are you not eating?" Tarrant asked her.

She replied with a deep sigh.

Tarrant patted her on her back gently. "It will be alright, dear one. We will rid ourselves of that bluddy behg hid once and for all. And then, you can have your freedom."

Nell wouldn't admit it aloud, but she didn't care about freedom. She felt a deep longing to have a home, with a family. Those at Salazen Grum had been the only family she really had ever known, and, now, everything was a wreck and those she cared about most had been sent away by the Red Queen.

She missed Dahlia, most of all. She still had no news of her; she had just disappeared that night after Number One had assaulted her.

Nell pushed around her bacon and sighed again.

" _Freedom._ What is it worth when you have no one to love you?" she asked softly.

Tarrant's jaw fell agape. "My, we _all_ love you, my dear," he chirped, gesturing to the table full of beings. "If we did not, you wouldn't be sitting there declining your meal." He gently took one of her curls between two fingers and ran it through them. He gave her a small smile.

She straightened her posture. Hatter was right, if those at Marmoreal truly didn't care for her, she'd still be in the dungeon at Salazen Grum. Perhaps all she had needed was a little reassurance. She then began to eat a normal amount, but was careful not to over pack herself. When finished, she leaned back in her chair and ran her hands down her middle.

When Mirana took notice of everyone finished with their food, she clanked her fork on her glass goblet and the room fell dead silent.

"And, now, my dear beloveds, we must prepare for battle!"

Chairs scooted noisily from under the table, and footsteps bustled about in every direction. Nell lingered behind and finished her ale. Alice came striding up to her.

"Nell, would you be so kind as to help me with my armor?"

Nell paused for a moment, and saw the White Queen smiling at her from the end of the table.

"Why, Alice, I'd be honored."

Alice beamed, and the two maidens headed for the tailoring room, completely alone.

As they entered the tailoring room, Alice's eyes found the Red Champion armor almost immediately. She went to it with a curious smile on her face. She reached a delicate hand and touched it.

"It's beautiful," she commented.

Nell pursed her lips. "It's for me."

Alice turned her face at her and her gleam turned into an expression of utter curiosity. "You?

Nell nodded and looked up at the black and red armor. "It was crafted for the Red Champion. But as you know, the Red Queen's Champion is anything but humanlike. The White Queen has asked me to wear this to distract the Red Queen from strengthening her magickal hold over the Jabberwocky. She said that you will find it easier to slay the creature if the Red Queen is amidst distraction."

"So… you're a diversion of some sort?"

Nell smirked. "You could say that." She went to the gallant silver armor of the White Champion and she took hold of the chest plate. "Come, Alice, let's get you ready."

The one piece undergarment that the Hatter had constructed fit Alice beautifully. It was enough to flatter her figure, yet provided sufficient coverage. Alice had slipped into it without issue, and had admired its simplicity. She spun around on her long, slender legs and observed how the light fabric moved with her body. It was evident that it would cause no issues beneath the armor.

Next, Nell helped her slip into the chainmail undercoat. It was a thin piece of chainmail that Alice had to slide into feet-first. Nell pulled it up her legs, over her buttocks, and fastened it in place just below her breasts. Alice traced the chainmail with her fingertips. She her never worn anything like it before, and, to her surprise, it wasn't nearly as heavy as she anticipated.

Putting on the armor for the first time was like an adventure to Alice; then again, everything was an adventure to Alice.

To complete the suit, Nell held the chest plate above Alice's head. With a queue from Alice, who raised her arms, Nell lowered the metal piece down over her head, and tightened it in place when it was sitting on her torso.

"Brilliant," crooned Alice as she twisted and turned, looking down at herself from all angels.

Nell finished the straps and stepped back from Alice, looking her head-to-toe. For someone who was preparing to fight to the death with a large creature, she looked radiant. Her hair was a shade of honey and it hung to just below her waist. Nell asked her if she cared to pin it up, but she declined gracefully. She made a comment that pinning her hair up would make her feel less feminine and that was a feeling she utterly despised.

Alice then took time to stare at herself in the full-length mirror.

Nell silently crossed the room, and drew the Vorpal Sword from the sheath that would attach to the queen's saddle bag. The blade made a singing noise as she slid it from the leather sheath and she ran her fingers along the blade. Unlike any other sword she had held, the Vorpal sword had sapphire gems embedded down the center of the blade. Another thing was that when Nell focused her vision on the blade just right, she could see that the metal emitted a slight blue aura. The sword was indeed enchanted, and its magick was very much alive.

She carried it gingerly to Alice and held it out to her.

"Your weapon, my lady," she cooed.

Alice reached a trembling hand to the hilt and took hold of it. She raised it from Nell's palm and held it erect. The sword then sparked to life, and the hilt released a blue energy, which ran up the blade, and dispersed from the tip in a spark-like fashion. The slight blue aura Nell had seen on the edge of the metal began to brighten, and just a few moments later, the whole blade began to glow.

Alice gasped surprisingly.

Nell smiled and gazed in adoration at the sword.

"It is said that once the Vorpal Sword meets the grasp of its true Champion, it will come alive and destroy whatever threatens the peace in Underland." Nell's eyes traveled up and down the blade slowly. "I think it's found its match."

Alice blinked her eyes.

"And what a match they make!" chirped a voice from the doorway.

Alice and Nell both pivoted on their heels to meet the White Queen.

In an instant, knowing the grandness of the day that was upon them, both girls dropped to their knees. Alice placed the tip of the Vorpal Sword to the floor and bowed her head. This day was a day to practice proper respect and loyalty to one's monarch.

Mirana went to Alice, and raised her to her feet. Her black eyes met Alice's blue eyes, and she smiled. "What a grand Champion you make, Alice. I see now that the armor was made for no one else, and would have no other wearer." She caressed Alice's thin face between her hands in a motherly way. "I just know that you will do us all proud." She then withdrew from Alice and turned to Nell. "And you, my little flame," she spoke smoothly, giving Nell a new nickname, "today will be the day that Underland will know the name Nell Cerise."

"I thought the fame was to be Alice's."

"Yes, but, Alice could not have gotten this far without our help," Mirana reminded them.

"It's true," Alice said.

Nell turned her attention to the Red Champion's armor. She took in a deep inhale, and reached for it.


	18. Frabjous Day I

Alone in the chamber, whistling a Volta to herself, Nell proudly fit herself into the Red Champion's armor. It had been so long since she had worn any armor. The last time was the better part of three years previous, when an army threatened to attack the castle and kill the Red Queen. Nell remembered that day like it had never ended, and she knew it would remain in her mind forever. On that day, Stayne had fit her, Dahlia and the other ladies of the court into chest plates and had given them all daggers. He had done everything in his power to protect them and the queen, including shoving the court members into a large closet and locking them in it for safekeeping. The whole time, Nell and Dahlia had clung to one another in fright. Luckily, as they cowered for hours, the red knights found a gruesome battle, and claimed victory.

It was after that that Nell decided to take up self-defense. She was no master, she only knew what Stayne had time to teach her, but she was confident that she knew enough to protect herself. She would carry her skills onto the battlefield with her, and would put them to use if need be.

Clad fully in the Red Champion's armor, Nell traced over every curve of her body in the mirror. The armor was a tad too big, but it gave her room to breathe and she would be able to maneuver easier. Unlike Alice, Nell pinned the majority of her hair atop her head in a neat chignon, allowing two matching strands to hang free in front of her ears. She bathed her face with a cool cloth before she slid her hands into the midnight black gauntlets.

Not used to the weighted footwear, she took it upon herself to practice walking by pacing in the room for a few minutes. When a desired gait was established, she nodded to herself and took a few deep breaths.

The clock on the nearest wall read quarter to elven a.m.; it was nearly time to head out.

Nell clanked and clattered through the castle, discovering that everyone had fled to the front gate to round up the troops.

She went to the stables, where she found her mare, fully caparisoned and decorated with crimson ribbons, standing quietly in a stall. Lord Tuppley had kindly saddled the mare for her.

As she always had, the mare whinnied a greeting at Nell when she came into view. She had the dagger Stayne had given her sheathed at her side, and she rested her hand on the hilt.

"Well, girl," she spoke to the mare. She then realized that she had not yet named her. "Let us go and usher in glory."

The horse snorted loudly.

Nell led her from the stall, tossed the reins over her head, and hoisted her unusually heavy, armored self into the saddle, the armor clanking and squeaking with some age.

She clicked to the mare and she cantered onward.

At the very front entrance to Marmoreal castle, Nell took sight of everyone lined in order before the gate. Dozens of white knights stood in formation, each one bearing a sword. At the sound of Nell's approaching horseshoes on the cobblestone, everyone whirled around.

She rode right up to them, the majority of them gasping as they beheld her outfit of red and black.

"What's the matter?" Nell asked aloud, directing it at all of them. "Never seen a Red Champion, aye?"

Mirana had not spoken a word of Nell's appearance to anyone. Feeling guilty, but concealing it behind a look of pride, she stepped onto her mounting block. She cleared her throat.

"I am aware that the Lady Nell's appearance is rather shocking. I beg you; do _not_ think differently of her. Her reasoning for wearing my sister's armor is that of _my own_ accord."

All the faces then softened, and were all replaced with serene smiles.

Nell ran her eyes over them. Tarrant, armed with a steel long sword stood stiffly, beside the Tweedles, who each grasped a small wooden toy sword. There was Bayard, Mallymkun seated proudly upon his back. Cheshire levitated beside Lord Tuppley, who looked rather handsome in a chest plate composed of stiff dark leather. The man's long raven hair flowed freely. Beside him was the White Queen, mounted on her pure white mare.

No Alice.

Nell rode to the queen's side.

"Where's Alice?"

Mirana looked out across the rolling hills and dark trees of the Tugley Wood, miles ahead of them. Saying nothing, she raised her chin, nose in the air. She sat idly for a few long moments, as Nell stared on with a twisted expression.

Suddenly, a loud roar could be heard coming from the castle.

Alice, astride the great and fluffy Bandersnatch, came hurling from the castle. The knights all broke formation, made way for her, then gathered neatly. Nell turned her mare and gleamed at Alice approaching. Alice rode to the queen's side and gave her a slight nod, signaling that she was ready to go and tempt fate.

Mirana, feeling the proudest she had ever felt, with an eligible Red Champion to her right, and her own destined White Champion to her left, shifted comfortably in her saddle. She then urged her mare forward, beginning the haul to the battlefield, which was clear across the Outlands.

Lord Tuppley gave a loud yell to the White Knights, and they all shifted their swords to traveling position. They marched in perfect sync, giving the rest of the party a rhythm to keep at as they advanced onward.

Through the Tugley Wood, over the hills of the Outlands, through Queast, almost to Salazen Grum the army marched. It was a trip that took almost two hours to travel.

The battlefield, marked in the Chesster flatland, was an immense field decorated to resemble a god-sized chess board. Legend had it that the King and Queen of Chesster, many, many years in the past, and both magickally involved with themselves, had used the board-like landscape to play a magickal version of chess. Each monarch has used the path of Dominion over Living Things, to conjure up live, building-tall chess pieces. The game was played using only magick and the piece-like minions. It had been quite the amusing game, until some of the pawns had developed minds of their own, had band together, and, sick of being used as playthings, had destroyed the castle that once towered over the Chesster Flats.

A perfect place to act on the Frabjous Day, or at least, that's what the Oraculum had advised.

Nearing the flatland, Mirana sighed and turned her eyes to Nell.

"When we first arrive, I care for you to be concealed behind my knights. I do not want Iracebeth catching wind of either you or Alice until her and I have had our little confrontation. Once Alice is occupied with the Jabberwocky, that is when you are to make your move."

Nell reached down and patted her mare. "Do forgive me, Majesty, but, what exactly _is_ my move?"

Mirana chuckled lowly. "That, my dear little flame, is what I am leaving _you_ to decide."

Nell began to ponder whether or not this had been too big a favor the White Queen had asked of her. She may have disagreed with the Red Queen, and may not have had much liking for her, but she didn't hate her, and she didn't wish the woman any true harm. To have her taken from the throne was all she cared for to happen, that way she could chop no more heads off, and she could stop using her monarchly power as an excuse to abuse people. In truth, she wished that Underland had to see no more violence, even if only for a while, but that was impossible at this point; Alice had to kill the Jabberwocky, or the Jabberwocky had to kill Alice.

Nell peered past the White Queen, to Alice, who rode the Bandersnatch silently. Wherever the girl had come from, she had to have a family of her own, and she probably was hoping she'd be able to return to it.

Something Nell knew she didn't have to return to.

In all honest truth, Nell didn't exactly know where she would go after the Frabjous Day.

As the white army bean to file onto the battlefield, Nell caught wind of the Red Queen's army off in the distance. She noticed the queen being carried in her sedan chair, Stayne riding beside her.

Nell moved the mare out crossed in front of the White Queen, and went to Alice.

"Alice, we must fall back, Her Majesty wants us hidden until she has confronted her sister," she instructed.

Nodding, Alice turned the Bandersnatch via her heels and the two armored maidens squeezed themselves at the back of the cluster of white knights, concealing them from the Red Queen's view.

Each army stopped at the edge of the field on both sides. Nell and Alice had to gaze through the heads of the white knights to see anything.

The monarch in red climbed from her sedan chair with Stayne's help. She then strutted across the field, dainty nose stuck in the air.

The White Queen slid from her mare, gave a harsh look to the red army, and advanced forward, nose also in there air.

The two monarchs met face-to-face, with McTwisp standing between them. He raised his horn and let out a royal trumpeting.

"On this, the Frabjous Day, the queens, Red-," he gestured to the Red Queen, who pursed her lips, - "and White-" Mirana smiled. "-will send forth their Champion's to do battle, on their behalf."

Mirana, not having seen her sister in person for years, was surprised to see that her head had remained the same size and had not grown a bit. Iracebeth's hair, face makeup, gown, and attitude, had changed since she had last seen her. In fact, the last time she had seen her was many years ago, just after the death of their mother.

"Hello, Iracebeth," Mirana said lowly.

Iracebeth pursed her lips again.

"Hello, Miwana," she replied, lisp sneaking out heavily.

Mirana, having a deep disdain for fighting and violence, whished deeply in her heart that she could somehow put a stop to this whole ordeal, and she could just go home with the crown on her head. But Iracebeth was not that easy; never had been that easy, and Mirana knew all too well that it would take a great force to even move Iracebeth emotionally.

She tried persuasion, first.

"Oh, Racie," she cried softly. "We don't have to fight."

Iracebeth would have none of Mirana's childish use of emotions to get her way, which she had witnessed her do her whole life. All Mirana had to do was smile as a girl, and she seemed to get anything she desired handed to her. Iracebeth, however, had had to emotionally fend for herself and anything she wanted she had to work for.

"I know what you're doing. You think you can bat those pretty little eyes, and I'll melt, just like Mummy and Daddy did," her voice was serious, but light.

"How _dare_ you being them into this," Mirana hissed.

"Oh, Miwana, you always were weak!" barked Iracebeth.

"I am not!"

"You are too!"

Mirana sighed and placed a hand to her forehead. Why did Iracebeth have to be so bull-headed? All of Underland was rooting her downfall, and yet, she refused to buckle under pressure. She had to admit that her sister was rather strong, but her strength could only bring about chaos, and Mirana knew she was the only one who could put a stop to it.

"I do not wish to fight you, Iracebeth, if we could just make peace-,"

"NO!" Iracebeth barked. "It is my _cwown_ ," she spat, her lisp taking over again. "I am the eldest!"  
She then pivoted on her heel and gave a loud: "JABBERWOCKY!"

From behind the cluster of white knights, Alice slid from the back of the Bandersnatch, her armored feet clanking loudly on the stone as she landed. She jogged over to the White Queen's mare, and drew the Vorpal Sword with a might. The blade flashed and began to glow blue the instant her gauntlet made contact with the hilt. Lord Tuppley handed her a large silver shield and helped her strap it to her arm.

Nell stiffened in her saddle as a loud, ferocious roar sounded from the distance. Her mare shifted uncomfortably underneath her at the sound.

"It's alright, girl," Nell assured the horse, stroking her neck.

Much larger than either Alice or Nell had anticipated, the Jabberwocky approached hastily, its gigantic feet rumbling the ground with every step. It's lengthy, thin neck coiled backward in aggression, and its slithering tongue made its way from its parted lips.

"Where's you Champion, _Sistah_?" asked the Red Queen in a mocking tone.

Alice advanced, hoofing between Tarrant and Lord Tuppley, and went to the White Queen's side.

"Here," she assured the red monarch.

"'Ello, _Um_ ," Iracebeth said flatly, recalling how Alice had fooled her into thinking that she was a towering girl from a placed called Umbridge.

Stayne appeared at the Red Queen's side. He wrapped an arm around her, and the two of them stepped back from the path of the approaching Jabberwocky. Iracebeth shot Alice a haughty look, and then replaced it with a dark smile.

Nell observed as the creature and Alice engaged in a small greeting. Alice, having grown impatient, drew back the glowing blade, and shot it forward, slicing off the Jabberwocky's tongue. The beast roared in pain, and swung its tail, tripping Alice to her face. Nell gasped as Alice made her way back on her feet, and gave the thing a good stab to the head.

Her eyes wandered to the White Queen, who stood beside Lord Tuppley at the edge of the field. The man acted as her personal guard.

Then, seeking out the Red Queen, her eyes caught Stayne staring straight at her. The Knave made no move, spoke no word to the queen beside him, or drew no weapon. He simply cocked his head slightly, questioning exactly who he was looking at. Luckily, Iracebeth kept her eyes fixated on the Jabberwocky and did not even glance in her direction.

"You can do this, Nell," Nell whispered to herself. "She's just the Red Queen- your queen," her tongue slipped and admitted aloud. She bit it, hoping no one had heard that.

On the battlefield, the Jabberwocky had Alice pinned in one of its sizeable feet as it laid her against the stone ground. Alice was busy attempting to slice at the foot, but her arms could not reach, they bore too much weight of the creature.

Before the Jabberwocky made a snack of Alice, Tarrant Hightopp bolted to the tail of the great beast, and stabbed it violently in the tail with the sword he bore.

"That Hatter's interfering," Iracebeth screamed obnoxiously. "OFF WITH HIS HEAD!"


End file.
